


Mister Tall, Dark and...Homicidal.

by Uwansumadamboi



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Dysfunctional Family, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Gratuitous Smut, M/M, Murder, My First Fanfic, Organized Crime, Panty Kink, Past Relationship(s), Sugar Daddy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-09-16 14:13:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9275666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uwansumadamboi/pseuds/Uwansumadamboi
Summary: When you're in a desperate situation, you figure out just how much you're willing to do and how low you're willing to go. When he had been told by his current boss/ex-boyfriend that until the cost for his cybernetic prosthetics and Echo-eye had been paid off entirely, Atlas would be garnishing his wages Rhys had to figure out what exactly he would do to make rent and feed himself.He found out that he was above prostituting himself but was not above shaking and grinding on a pole or making middle-aged middle-managers whose pitiful existence practically screamed, “Hi, nice to meet you! I'm average in every single way.” feel like they were special.It was all pretty mundane...until he met Jack.OrIn which Stripper!Rhys accidentally gets involved with Mobster!Handsome Jack and gets a little in over his head.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Borderlands fic be gentle.

**Mister Tall, Dark, and Homicidal.**

**Chapter One.**

When you're in a desperate situation, you figure out just how much you're willing to do and how low you're willing to go. When he had been told by his current boss/ex-boyfriend that until the cost for his cybernetic prosthetics and Echo-eye had been paid off entirely, Atlas would be garnishing his wages Rhys had to figure out what exactly he would do to make rent and feed himself.

He found out that he was above prostituting himself but was not above shaking and grinding on a pole or making middle-aged middle-managers whose pitiful existence practically screamed, “Hi! Nice to meet you. I'm average in every single way.” feel like they were special.

It was all pretty mundane until he met Jack.

**

Rhys stared at the company issued digital clock, hoping that his friends wouldn't come before or during his, incredibly valid, melt down. Neither of them would be any help with this, he was sure. Knowing them they might accidentally make everything worse. Vaughn would try to find some sort of logical solution and that wouldn't help because this wasn't a logical problem he was dealing with, he was dealing with Vasquez trying to lord over his life after their relationship had ended...pretty violently at that. Yvette wasn't really the best at comforting so she would probably get really uncomfortable herself and start cracking bad jokes to lighten the mood and make it all even more awkward as if that was even a possibility.

 _12:32...shit. They'll be here any second...oh god, oh god please let the elevator be broken. Please let there be another employee having a meltdown so everyone has to pay attention to them and not me!_ , Rhys thought because fuck, he hated crying in front of people, hated it.He was always okay with having a one man uncontrollable sobbing party in the comfort of his own room, or a locked bathroom stall but when he knew someone would be able to see him he felt weak and tiny. like if he was incapable of holding in his emotions then he would suddenly be the laughingstock of Atlas...in the grand scheme of things it was at least rooted in the hard truth.

“Heeeey Rhysie it's lunch time so-” Yvette was cut off as soon as she looked at Rhys' distressed expression, which was getting worse by the second. “Uhhh…I might regret asking this but...what happened?”

“What's happened? Well, gee 'Vette I uh...I dunno but, hey let's see. Six months ago I got my arm ripped off by a malfunctioning loader bot. Then I had to either take unpaid leave and get cybernetic implants or lose my job! So that's fun. The-e-en Vasquez decides that he's not going to keep dating me but- oh get this its great! - He is going to keep being my boss and not allow me to transfer, because fuck that would just make my life a little easier and noooobody wants that. And-and today I find out that not only am I not getting compensated for, well you know, getting my fucking arm crushed!” Rhys stopped and angrily postured towards his implant,

“No uhh, today I- they- I mean Vas- my boss told me that I have to pay them back! Everything sucks right now, okay? and I am not going to be able to pay my rent. I'll probably end up being homeless, and then I'll probably start drugs and start prostituting myself to pay for the drugs and die!” Rhys babbled, working himself out of biting sarcasm to having a nervous breakdown at his desk. The rational part of Rhys completely understood that he was probably overreacting, he just couldn't bring himself to care enough to stop himself.

“Wow...That is like the worst five-year plan I've heard.” Yvette replied after a good several moments of awkward silence.

“Not the time, Yvette.” Vaughn groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. Yvette was a good friend but she honestly had the worst case of Foot-in-mouth Syndrome he had ever seen. “Just...trying to lighten the mood, guys. Look everything will be fine, we'll figure something out. Well, probably.”

“No it-it's fine. I-i-i am just a little...overwhelmed right now.” Rhys sniffed, “I can...I'll try to figure something out. I-sorry for that, Yvette.”

“No don't-Wait, I think I can help you, actually. I know a guy.” Yvette paused and turned around towards Rhys, “well a girl, two girls actually. Anyways, I can call in my favors and get you a part-time position. It's gonna sound a little shady but...how do you feel about being half-naked in public?”

“Um...what?”


	2. Chapter 2.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After six months of working at the purple skag, Rhys has his very first important gig; a private funding party for Hyperion, namely handsome jack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to update at least twice a month.

**  
Chapter 2.

From what he understand from Yvette's quick explanation of the Purple Skag was that Mad Moxxi ran the place and that might have worried him, if he was ever working under her on a close and personal basis. He had really only known Moxxi on her reputation, she was a living testament to the saying, 'looks can be deceiving because despite her own pretty appearance, looking like a harlequin model rather than a woman who ran an underground fight club and several strip clubs and bars across the states and those were only the ones she personally ran.

Rhys is pretty sure that if someone paid him ten million dollars to cross her he'd refuse. He had actually only met her once before during his “interview”; which had just been Moxxi, Athena and Janey leering at him in a weirdly non-sexual manner in a bunch of different positions, seeing how he danced and then seeing if he could hoist himself legs up on a pole. August had been there too, but only as security so no one was asking for his opinion on Rhys' legs or ass. Thank god for that.

Working at the Purple Skag on nights and weekends was definitely hard at first. He had to spend a lot of time getting over his own preconceived notions about strip clubs, “No, you will not be murdered, Rhys. August and Axton are here to make sure you're safe. If anyone grabs you just shout out for one of them.” Athena stated during his interview, nonplussed by any of his, incredibly reasonable, concerns.

Any predisposed revulsion to sitting on someones lap for a couple extra 20s stuffed in his panties. He was just glad he never had to do anything other than lap sitting an exaggerated flirtations, “No sugar, this isn't a brothel.” Moxxi had teased him when he asked about it, “Buuut if you want to take someone home that's on you. Just try not to get murdered, okay?” Rhys is pretty sure Moxxi was saying that to be helpful, so he tried to feel a little better about his own self-imposed ultimatum. Work at the Purple Skag and lose some self-respect or become destitute and lose all self respect. Real Sophie's choice, right?

Rhys tried not to think of it as being demeaning or anything because he's pretty sure that he had been so drunk a couple times that he would do it for free when he went clubbing anyways; the grinding mainly, not so much of the lap sitting.

**  
The atmosphere had been different that night, in an ambiguous sort of way. Everything looked the same but it wasn't. Something was off and Rhys wrote it off as a liquor license renewal.

“Oy, twinkle toes get you're pretty arse over here.” Janey shouted from across the bar as soon as she saw him enter the dimly lit space.

“I was just clocking in boss...” Rhys paused, turning slightly to see Athena behind the bar, holding one of Janey's hands and Rhys had to stop himself from saying something sarcastic and rude. They were always doing that; sneaking quick kisses and holding hands. It was just all so...domestic. So nice and sweet that it just left a bad taste in his mouth. Really, it just wasn't appropriate for them to be doing that, it's wasn't like he had never had a normal relationship like that and was jealous of them. He wasn't, at least not really.

“...es. Sooooo, what am I doing tonight?” Rhys queried anxiously, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other. Usually he was just handing out drinks to the local pervs, doing the occasional lap dance or even just dancing to either synth-pop or glam-rock.

“You're late.” Janey quipped, “Next time you and you're friends wanna play a game of Bunkers and Bad asses before work make sure to keep it quick, eh?”

“Moxxi's here, Rhys” Athena offered, in her usual no-nonsense tone. “She wants to see you.”

Oh, Rhys thought, That's why everything feels off.

“Oh...I'm not fired, right?” Rhys mumbled, worrying his lower lip with his teeth. He really needed this job. He couldn't afford not to have it, even if he didn't want to work at the Purple Skag he didn't really have the choice of quitting unless he wanted to be homeless.

“Don't worry Rhysie, no ones firing ya!” Janey stated, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder that transcended into a hard smack. “Boss-lady's in the champagne room.” Rhys almost opened his mouth to ask, which one as there were six Champagne rooms before Janey tore the words out of his mouth,“You know the one I'm talking about right? The one that girl offed herself in?”

“Um, yeah I know the one.” Rhys replied awkwardly, “That's good, that I'm not getting fired. Well, because um, you know that would be just fucking awful.” he stated emphatically, trying not to acknowledge the blood in the water as he rushed himself to where Moxxi was apparently waiting for him.

**  
“Oh, Rhysie! Sugar, there you are. I have been looking all over for you, come on walk with me.” Moxxi directed, looking expectantly at the Cybernetic man, Rhys complied decided not to mention that he hadn't seen her leave the room, knowing it was probably a power play.

“Um...alright. Um, Miss Moxxi?”

“Yes, sugar?”

“Well I was-” Rhys started, confused as to where any of this was going.

“I bet you were curious why I called you over here, right?” she cut him off excitedly, “Well, I have a friend. Well, not a friend but not an enemy. Not even really a frenemy, now that I think of it...but he's got more money than god and he invests for me if he decides he likes what he sees. Aaaaaaanyways, and this is where you come in sugar, to check that I know what I'm doing.” Moxxi smiled at him, “Like I don't know how to run my bars...self-satisfied bastard…” She muttered to herself before turning to him with an impish smile, “What were we talking about?”

“Um...why you were asking for me?” Rhys supplied nervously, not really liking where this was going.

 

“Oh right! I'll be needing you later tonight but right now just hand out cocktails and look pretty! Is that in your skill set, honey?” It always threw him off how she spoke to him. Moxxi was mean to him in a way that he hadn't experienced in a while. Nothing unmanageable, it didn't feel like she disliked him or anything. Moxxi probably wouldn't hire him if she didn't like him, he had nothing to offer her and she took a chance on him as he had no experience with entertaining. No, it was more like her natural response to anything was thinly veiled barbs and backhanded compliments.

“Yeah...I can do that.” Rhys replied, giving her a winning fake smile before moving over to the bar. Fiona was working tonight so at least he wouldn't have to deal with anyone who called him 'reeze', did opiates or, god forbid, both.

**  
“You have to get one Rhys!” Fiona urged him, “It's fun, like acting!”

“I am not going by some ridiculous stage name. That's...” stupid. Rhys shook the thought off because he liked Fiona and didn't want to piss her off because of his attitude, she could be scary when she was mad.  
“Just not me.” he added. It really wasn't, everyone else had some kind of asinine stage name and he couldn't do it. Lately his lack of stage name and 'I don't belong in a strip club' disposition had become his niche.

“Why not?” She queried, “I've started going by Lydia Strauss; An oversexed archaeologist on the run from the law.” Fiona smirked, feeling pretty great about her story. It was more of a joke then not at first but now she was thinking of running it by Moxxi just to bug Rhys.

“...That sounds like a bad porno, Fi.” He stated pointedly. “Wait ' on the run'? Why...would you be on the run?” he added as an afterthought.  
Their conversation was cut off with Gaiges voice over the intercom, _“Attention Purple Skag employees, Will Fi- Seriously? Ugh ok. Will...Lydia Strauss please make her way on to the stage, and oh I don't know, do her job?”_  
Rhys couldn't help but bust into a fit of giggles and it wasn't long before Fiona joined in, no one ever said that you had to have a good work ethic to be a stripper.

“I dunno, stealing? I guess it could be hot though, right? Like I’m dangerous.” she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

“How's Sasha?” Rhys blurted out, itching to change the subject. Fiona had taken him under her wing when he started, she was like his stripper guardian angel who acted like a big sister. He couldn't equate sexual things and Fiona without feeling detrimentally uncomfortable.

_“Seriously tonight’s important GET UP HERE!!!”_

“She's good.” She mumbled sourly, “Moody. She's pissed off about Felix, I am too.”

“He came back?” Last he'd heard Felix had skipped town, apparently the cops had started investigating him for credit card fraud. Not surprising, what had been surprising was that he had taken their van and sold it to some scrap dealer. Even for him that had been pretty unprecedentedly uncool.

“Yeah,” She scoffed, “For two days.” Fiona held out two of her fingers for emphasis, she was so done with Felix. “He came back he started acting ike he was gonna change things. Like we hadn't heard it before, then this morning he skipped town, but not before he pawned off everything that wasn't nailed down.”

“Sorry…but it's not a surprise for you, right?” he said sympathetically, “He does this a lot I'm guessing.”

“No it's not like it's a surprise, it's just that-” Fiona paused when she saw the blinking red light signaling her to get on stage for the night. “Shit, Gaige is using the alarm. I actually gotta go, if I take any longer she'll bring out DeathTrap. You're slinging cocktails till nine.”

“Then after nine?” he asked, figuring his personal work for Moxxi would be then.

“Apparently,” Fiona mumbled while fixing her bustier hurriedly “you're doing a private party with some rich assholes. Have fuuuuuuuun.” she stated teasingly, “Those guys tip like they think “oh I bet if I give this stripper a couple hundreds they'll blow me in a back alley. Don't do that, if it wasn't obvious.”

“You should probably get up there, Gaige is gonna have an aneurysm if you keep Fucking around with me.”

As if on cue, the blinking then became accompanied by an obnoxious alarm sound, “Shiiiit. I'M COMING GAIGE GIVE ME A FUCKING SECOND.”  
Both of them laughed at their perky stagehand when she flipped them off with both hands. Rhys hummed while he worked the tables.

Tonight was shaping up to be a good one.

**  
Rhys stared self-consciously at his reflection in one of the full-bodied mirrors in the Purple Skag's dressing room. He had been dressed in a gold button down top that was two buttons loose so it teased the sight of his tattoos, apparently they were a real crowd pleaser. Then, he had a pair of high waisted black and gold sequined hot pants with a pair of black thigh high stockings that ended with ankle high combat boots. He actually felt kind of hot, which wasn't a normal occurrence so he decided to enjoy it while it would last.

“Wow, Rhys! You look great!” Gaige gushed as soon as she had seen him, “Like a sexy tap dancer!” she added teasingly, immediately regretting it when she saw her friends face fall.

“Oh great, a sexy tap dancer, huh? Well, there goes my self-confidence. Thanks Gaige. You're the best.” he quipped back.

“No seriously! You look good, I mean you're going to be meeting Handsome Jack so-”

“Wait, wait wait. Handsome Jack?” he spouted, everyone knew who Handsome Jack was at the very least by reputation. Pandora wasn't a nice town by any means, so if anyone witnessed anything they were either paid off or shut up by other, more violent means. Every time they even got close to arresting anyone from Hyperion, the evidence just magically disappeared.

“Yeah? Moxxi wanted you here because, apparently you look like someone he'd want.” she replied, wriggling her eyebrows conspiratorially. “Who knows, Rhysie? You might bag yourself a sugar daddy.” Then Gaige literally pushed through the door, yelling 'Go get 'em tiger.'

Rhys then tripped and skidded until he fell directly into Handsome Jacks lap. He spilled cocktails on one of Pandora's most wanted and fell into his lap. Rhys started to feel the kind of terror he usually only felt in nightmares. He was going to die tonight, all because of some fucking watered down martinis.

“We-he-hell hey there, princess. You got a name or should I just give you one?” and then added as an afterthought, “I'm thinkin' maybe...butt stallion? Nah, that's stupid maybe-” Rhys couldn't focus to much on what was being said because he was to preoccupied on the fact that not only was he not dead, or even close to it but Handsome Jack had his one of his arms securely wrapped around Rhys' waist with his other hand snaked around his thigh in a possessive hold.

“Rhys!” he blurted out, finally getting his bearings of where he was and who he was straddling.  
“My name is Rhys, that...is my name. Not-” he cringed and cleared his throat nervously in a I-can't-believe-I'm-actually-saying-this sort of way, “Butt Stallion. I'm preeeeeetty sure I would kill myself if I had a name like that.” he giggled nervously at the end of his sentence having never felt so nervous and awkward in his life. “Um...are you going to kill me? Because I dropped those cocktails on you? My family would probably be sad, but definitely not surprised. I mean, I guess you have an image to-” Rhys was cut off from his babbling when Jack started laughing at him.

“Fuck, you're precious, Moxxi did good on picking you.” Jack said, gripping his chin and looking at him in a way that felt almost like an inspection. He pulled Rhys in close enough to whisper in his ear, “I wouldn't kill you for spilling drinks, kitten. That would be a fucking waste of my bullets and your pretty fucking face.” Jack leered at him, appreciatively, “But how's about you give me a lap dance, seeing as you're already on my lap.” Rhys nodded, moving to straddle the other mans lap closer. The lap dance was lethargic and leisurely, trying to make it take as much time as possible.

“So, what's a smart, pretty thing like you doing spending time with strange men like me?” Jack asked, “I mean, no disrespect to sex workers but the whole 'Stripping your way through med school' thing? Total bullshit.” Rhys laughed, even though inside he was bursting with pride. He couldn't wait to tell Vaughn that he met Handsome Jack and got to hang off his arm for a while. Well, his lap.

"How do you know I'm smart?" He quipped back, feeling a little more confident. "I mean, I'm only sitting here because I can't walk properly."

"You don't look like a sex worker, is all I'm saying. People who look and talk like you, don't usually strip for the hell of it."

“I get that a lot here. But Um, well actually, I'm paying off medical debts.” Jack raised an eyebrow in incredulity. “For my arm?” Rhys added, holding his bionic limb up for the mobster to see. Before he could pull it back Jack grabbed his cybernetic arm, inspecting it. “What a pretty piece of tech. How'd you get it, cupcake?”

“Oh, I had an accident not too long ago.” Rhys supplied sheepishly, he was still getting used to not having all of his limbs and he had been feeling low about his appearance. "A loader bot..." he trailed off, leaving the implication hanging in the air.

“It suits you princess.” Jack said, and they spent a few minutes in comfortable silence while Rhys grinded on his lap. “Black and yellow…You're like a Hyperion poster boy, Rhysie.”

“Huh! At least she remembers what I like...” the older man added, mainly to himself. He absentmindedly snapped the fabric of Rhys' hot pants against his thighs. He hadn't an idea how to feel about. Flattered? Yeah. Scared? Definitely. Did he have any intention of getting off of Handsome Jacks lap? Hell no!

Almost like divine providence, or rather a divine cock block; Moxxi strode up to them, heels clicking against the purple painted hardwood floors, the clashing colors of her outfit almost painfully garish against the Hyperion colors filling the room.

“Oh hello, Rhys!” Moxxi chirped, and then in a more subdued tone, she sneered “Jack.”

“Wow! You are just shit at sucking up, Mox.” he shot back, “I could have this fucking dump blown to shit if I wanted to.” Jacks' hands tightened their grip on Rhys waist and thighs, he was sure there would be bruises later. “No one would do shit about it.” he added dangerously.

“Should I keep dancing?” Rhys mumbled, only to be ignored by the two clashing personalities. “Because um, I can go if that would be better for...whatever this is.” He added nervously, he felt more out of place than he usually did at The Purple Skag, and that was saying something. “Just sit tight, kitten.” Jack murmured in Rhys' ear, squeezing his knee in a reassuring way. “Negotiations, sweetheart. No one's getting blown up today.” It didn't feel as much like negotiations as it did Handsome Jack deciding to torture his boss for the hell of it.

“Look, are you gonna pay us or what?” She snapped at him, “I know for a fact that this dump is way better for your extracurriculars than any other shit hole operation your plugging cash into!”

“Really? You wanna fucking bet on that?”

“I could just go to the Vault Hunters.” She finally spat after a few minutes of tense silence. Rhys wasn't sure what had gone on between Jack and Moxxi but it definitely did not seem good. “They wouldn't treat me like this.”

“You know I thought you were a lot of things Moxxi, but I didn't think you were stupid.” Jack growled, “The Vault Hunters are _fucking bandits_ , they'll sell your ass out to the highest bidder if someone pays them enough.” He leaned in close, “We may hate each other but I would never betray you for a few bucks.”

Moxxi raised her hands up in defeat. “So what do you want, Jack?” she asked, her hands poised on her hips in annoyance.

“Shit. What do I want, well that's a loading fucking question. Let's see I dunno, more money just to start off-”

“Are we doing this, really?”

“All the money in the world would be great, actually because then I wouldn't have to deal with incompetent walking anal fissures every day! And then”

“Ugh, you fucking man child...”

“Probably a bigger arsenal, I'm sick and fucking tired of lame ass Tediore pistols and Shitty new Atlas tech, they've been slacking lately. One of my guys had their shield explode on their fucking face. Like a detonating money shot!” Jack started laughing, “His face was like, melting and it was- Ha! No, no it was terrible...in a hilarious way.”

“You are the most infuriating person I’ve ever had to deal with.”

"Maybe my own island too, populated by underfed super model slaves. That would be a blast for me and Angel. Maybe, World peace? None of that, it sounds fucking boring as shit and it would put me out of work. So world chaos until the end of time would be cool. But right now, how about you stop watering down your drinks and have your girls and boys show a little more skin, it's a strip club not a fucking nunnery.”

“Okay, whatever Jack, fine. Will you pay us, so we can stay open?” Moxxi looked like a woman defeated for the moment, Jack assented in a dismissive, demeaning way. “But on one condition, sugar tits, I want Rhysie to be able to take this pretty outfit home.” he enunciated his statement with a smack to Rhys' clothed ass, chuckling when he yelped at the contact.

“Why? Wait, never mind I don't want to know. He can take it, he can take every outfit if it means we keep the lights on and the girls don't start a riot when they replace us with a Starbucks.”

When Moxxi turned away from them, mumbling “Fucking Gentrification” under her breath. When she was out of sight Jack turned to Rhys who was still poised in his lap and nervously fidgeting with the buttons of his top. “Let's get out of here, yeah?” the older man said, both knowing full well it wasn't a request.

**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disgusting Smut in the next chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys and jack have a fun night, and rhys walk into an intervention with his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's probs gonna be some type of plot involving the vault hunters (With lilith leading it and being high-key a sociopath, cause thats my headcanon.)

_Chapter 3._  
**  
Rhys felt almost giddy, sitting in the back of Handsome Jack's town car. He wasn't really the type of person who just went home with guys, but he's pretty sure sitting awkwardly in the back of a vehicle worth more than his house with a man who was capable of so much cruelty with his hands creeping up Rhys' thighs with unusual gentility.

“We're gonna have a lot of fun tonight, kitten.” Jack growled in his ear before hoisting the stripper on his lap with him facing the other male. The moniker Handsome Jack had apparently wasn't ironic, with his sharp jawline and his hetero chromatic eyes, not unlike his own but Jacks were green and blue instead of brown and blue. The only “Flaw” that he saw, which in his opinion wasn't one because it made him look better was the bluish scar resembling an upside down V meeting above is nose and splaying out on his cheek bones.

  
He wanted to touch it but decided against it, on the grounds that if it was a bad idea with normal people, it was probably a death sentence from a guy who could crush your windpipe with one hand while he drove cross-country. So yeah, bad idea.

  
“Take the scenic route, Malcolm.” He barked while playing with the top buttons of Rhys' hot pants, “It's uh, Micheal. Handsome Jack, sir.” the driver squeaked out, obviously embarrassed at having to play third-wheel to Jacks ministrations.

The mobster pulled back, annoyed, and Rhys winced when Jack gripped his hips a little harder. Rhys had to give him credit, it was obvious that he was holding back and making a good attempt not to murder the chauffeur in front of him.  
“We-e-e-ell, Micheal you should feel lucky that Rhysie's pretty little ass is stopping me from strangling you, you insignificant little peon.” Jack spat at the guy, decidedly ignoring any other aggravating statement coming out of the drivers mouth.

With a sigh he brought his attention back to the pretty redhead in his lap, “Let's get back to business, Rhysie.” Rhys nodded mutely, left starstruck and half-paralytic by Jacks very being, “Y'know...I really want to just rip that slutty outfit old balloon tits gave you off of you,” he murmured silkily before biting down on Rhys' shoulder and laving at the marks and dragging his teeth over the area, making sure it would leave marks. “We'll save that for next time, I'll buy you something just as pretty as you and tear it off of you before I wreck you. Sound good, baby?”

“S-sounds good.” Rhys supplied between whimpers and moans, loving the idea of there being a next time.

Jack didn't seem to mind letting Rhys get his bearings while he peeled the hot pants off of him, leaving his lower half on full display for the other man.

The mobster hummed appreciatively at the sight of Rhys' blue and yellow striped panties with little stars on them. he gave Rhys' clothed cock a playful squeeze, relishing in the little squirms and moans he gave when he was touched. “Such a sweet little thing, cupcake. So sensitive.” He hummed in Rhys' ear, “I'm going to enjoy ruining you.” he added in a gleeful pseudo-sadistic tone. Oh please do, Rhys thought feeling bubbly and aroused.

The way Jack touched him was filled with entitlement, and it almost bothered the younger male how much he liked it, key word being Almost. Instead, he was whining Handsome Jack's name like a prayer while he rubbed Rhys' cock through his underwear. It didn't take long for him to get close, “ _Jaaaack_ ,” He whined, “'m close!” Jack all but ignored him and kept going as Rhys came in his underwear like some sex-starved teenager and even through the aftershocks of his orgasm Jack was still stroking him through his panties, Rhys whimpered pathetically, covering his face with other mans chest in shame.

“'m sorry, Jack.” he babbled his apologies, but Jack only chuckled in response, making something stir in him again far too soon to be feasible, no matter  _how_ hot Jack was.  
“Oh Rhysie, you didn't think that you were only cumming once tonight?” he grinned against the other man, kissing the top of his head adoringly, “You were so _tense_ , baby. I needed you to unwind a bit so we can reeeeaaally get down to business. Because if I'm going to fuck you so hard you forget your own name, I need you to feel good about it.”

“Pull up here, _Terrence_.”

**

  
Jacks home was surprisingly less grand than the mobsters persona, Handsome Jack was larger than life and this home, this space looked nice and lived in, Rhys was pleasantly surprised. Jack was eager to get him going if the way that he dragged Rhys into his bedroom and practically threw the younger male onto his bed.

“S'not fair,” Rhys whined to the other man while he popped the buttons of Rhys' button down top, shrugging it from his shoulders. “I'm already naked and you haven't taken anything off.” he added with a pout, as he hoisted himself up with his arms for added dramatic flair, pointing sluggishly at Jack. “I wanna touch you.”

“Ohoho really, Rhysie? Well, c'mon then let's see what you got.” Jack leered, moving to prop himself against his dresser while Rhys crawled over to the other man, sitting on his haunches as he worked at getting Jacks pants off, “It's the middle of August, why do you have so many layers?” the younger man quipped nervously. Rhys gulped when he got a full view of the older mans cock, he was big. “Oh...” he exclaimed, barely even able to be heard by the other man.

“Is there a problem, kiddo?” He grinned to Rhys, tone full of self-satisfaction and superiority. Rhys glared up at him, taking the statement as a challenge and took Jacks cock in his organic hand, licking a wide stripe on the underside and then taking the tip in his mouth while Jack gripped the back of his head, easing Rhys' mouth down until his nose was touching the patch of pubic hair.  
Jack held his face there for a few moments before letting him up for a breath. Doing that until he could settle into a rhythm of thrusting and suckling with the sweet boy on his knees in front of him.

“Such a pretty mouth, darling.” Jack all but purred to him, sliding two of his fingers in the redheads mouth, allowing them ease in next to his cock. “And all for me, huh?” the other hand still holding the back of Rhys' head down on his dick. with his hetero chromatic brown and blue eyes looked up at him, mirroring his own as Jack watched the tears springing from his eyes rolling down his flushed hollowed-out cheeks, Rhys was the prettiest thing he had seen in a long time.

“Ye' jush f'you” he garbled back, reverberations of his words humming in his mouth like a flesh light, Rhys figured he must have been doing something right if the ragged moan the other man gave was anything to say for it, even when Jack roughly pulled him off of his cock with a wet _Pop!_

  
“Get on the bed, on your hands and knees.” He growled to Rhys who hastily obeyed, prostrating himself on the large bed. Rhys used his cybernetic limb as a crutch like he usually did to steady himself.

The older man dragged his nails down Rhys' spine, not hard enough to draw blood but enough to know that something was there. “Please, Jack. Please? Fuck me, please.” Rhys babbled, his voice wrecked and pleading he just wanted to get it on with already.  
“That good, huh?” Jack murmured to his partner, his hands moved lower and lower until he roughly gripped a handful of Rhys' ass before pulling back and giving it a rough slap, grinning at the delighted noises the younger man let out with every smack.  
“I knew you'd be perfect the moment I saw you, Rhysie.” he internally preened at the praise while Jack spanked him, repeating the action over and over until his entire bum was a bright shade of pink.

Jack must have taken pity on the younger man because he could hear the tell tale click of a bottle of lubricant-his saving grace. He coated a liberal amount onto his fingers teased his thumb over the younger male's perineum as he smeared lube all over his hole, If it hadn't been for Jack holding him in place his body would have lurched forward at the cold intrusion.

Jack slid one of his fingers inside of him, occasionally accidentally-on-purpose brushing against his prostate as he worked Rhys open with one finger, then two, then three before Jack decided he was loose enough for him and rolled a condom on.  
He gripped Rhys' hips roughly and wrenched his organic arm behind his back, holding him in a harsh and greedy way that really did something for the middle-manager turned stripper.

Jack barely had the bulbous head of his cock in Rhys and the younger man was already on the edge, about to cum one more time. He must have noticed because he gripped the base of the redheaded males cock, staving off his orgasm. Rhys whimpered with sexual frustration and Jack tutted him, “Don't be greedy, pumpkin.”

  
He huskily murmured in Rhys' ear, easing his cock into the young man until he bottomed out. Once they settled into a rhythm, Jack began thrusting into him at a harsh punishing pace, with each thrust the impact got more and more intense.

Rhys cried out in time with each thrust, the arm Jack was holding captive pulled back with the man ruining him. He wanted this so much and it didn't take too long for Rhys to start pushing back onto the other mans cock, feeling like it was too much and not enough all at the same time. Eventually the thrusting got more erratic, Jacks fingers digging into his hips almost sure to draw blood or at least leave bruises while he fucked Rhys through another orgasm.

  
Rhys whimpered softly when the older man pulled out of him. Several moments of comfortable silence filled the room before Rhys found his voice again, “I hope you're not kicking me out,” he pouted to Jack, feeling fuzzy and blissed out.

“Because I don't think I can move my legs.”  
**  
Jack had let him stay, and even moved on to the bed with him. Rhys would be lying if he thought that Handsome Jack would be the type but he supposed that despite all the murder, intimidation, thievery and racketeering Jack was still human and everyone craved a little comfort at night.

  
His hands trailed lazily up and down Rhys' thighs, occasionally reaching up to trace his tattoos. It was pretty peaceful and it could only be better without the constant ringing of his ECHO. Jack ignored it at first, before he relented and picked up the phone in aggravation. He sat up and moved entirely away from Rhys, his body language becoming instantaneously hostile.  
It kind of interesting watching him switch from being nice to Rhys to making somebody who probably had confirmed kills shit their pants.

  
“What.” Jack spat to whatever unlucky idiot that was on the other line, “You fucked up with the Eridium miners? Are you an idiot? Wait don't answer that because I know you are. Only an idiot would shoot at a bunch'a roided up hillbillies-WHO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE US WHAT WE WANT ANYWAYS! No, _you_ listen to me you spineless little idiot, I'm going to be down there in fifteen minutes so don't fuck anything else up.”

Jack clicked the call off, grinning apologetically at Rhys. He moved around getting his clothes back on quickly with ridiculous efficiency.  
“I have to go and make some idiot dig his own grave.” he clicked his tongue in mock-remorse, “I almost went an _entire 48 hours_ without having to kill some idiot in over his head.” Rhys smiled awkwardly in kind, “Do you want me to leave?” he asked softly, nipping his lower lip nervously.

“Do you want to leave?” that gave Rhys pause, he had honestly expected to be thrown out when he had asked to stay and go home unsatisfied and unhappy at his lack of impulse control, with the evening ending up being a marathon of X-Files with Vaughn over the most disgusting saturated foods they could find. It wasn't something he liked but it was normal for him, “No, I just thought you already got what you wanted, and I'm not...” he trailed off not really knowing how to end the statement, especially when Jack started laughing at him.

 ** _What an asshole_**.

“Wha-you thought...oh sweetheart that's just adorable. If you want to leave and forget this whole thing, that's fine. I won't bother you anymore,” Jack paused, giving him a wolfish grin. “Buuuuut if I do this again with you, you would be all mine. I'd be in it one hundred percent and I'd expect that from you too. _I don't share._ ”

Rhys pretended to think about it, “Well, in that case I want to stay.”

“Attaboy.” Jack did something on his ECHO, leaving Rhys to look at him quizzically until a CL4P-TP unit rolled out. Jack eyed the robot with vague distaste, “That's Claptrap, he'll do anything you want. Ask him for whatever you want, his wish is your command blah blah blah. Just make him your bitch for the night, basically.” and Jack left him in the care of the funny little robot.

Claptrap was weird and unusually sentient for such an outdated robot, but it was kind of endearing in an annoying sort of way. It took all of his experience with babysitting to handle its overtly intense personality.

  
It told bad jokes, sang stupid songs and kept trying to make him listen to his dub-step album. Spoiler alert; it was probably the absolute worst, he would rather be water boarded then listen to it ever again.

  
Eventually, he had shut it up for the night by pretending to be asleep until it went away and then he accidentally fell asleep for real.

 

**

 

“GOOD MORNING RHYS!” Rhys awoke to morning rays and the weird bot scooting towards him, it's voice was especially grating before he had his morning fix of caffeine.  
He pulled himself upwards, hugging his knees to his chest, “Um, hey Claptrap...” he murmured sleepily, “Can you run the coffee machine for me, please?”

“SURE THING. HEY DO YOU WANT TO GIVE ME NOTES ON MY ALBUM” Rhys cringed, thinking, oh god no, anything but that, but instead said. “It's...a little early for that. Buddy.”

“OKAY, THAT REMINDS ME JACK LEFT YOU A MESSAGE.” Rhys looked at him in confusion until its face opened to reveal a tape recorder, telling back a message Jack must have left for him not to long ago. “HE ALSO LEFT YOU SOME NEW CLOTHES IN THE BATHROOM.”

_**“Hey Rhysie, I had some shit to deal with...again. Sorry about that, but you know those idiots can't wipe their own asses without me holding their hands! Oh yeah, I called your boss and told him you were sick, figured you'd want the day off. I've let claptrap know to call Wilhelm after you get this, trust me you'll know him when you see him, he'll take you home. I'll drop by to see you later tonight, We'll have some fun together...PG fun, dinner and movie or something fucking normal like that. Definitely followed by me wrecking your pretty mouth again.”** _

Rhys snorted at Jack's crudeness, he could practically hear the eyebrow wriggling. He sprung off the bed to shower so when he came back to his and Vaughn's shared apartment he wouldn't look like he had been fucked within an inch of his life.  
When he stepped into the bathroom and looked at his nude body in the mirror he realized that that would be difficult, there bruises and love bites littering his shoulders and collarbones, a very obvious hickey smack dab in the middle of his neck tattoo and crescent shaped marks on each side of his hips. With a heavy, content sigh he stepped into the shower, hoping that he would at least look a little better after a long shower.

Rhys hummed some unknown tune, brushing his bangs out of his eyes as he stepped out of the shower and grabbing the pile of neatly folded clothes set out for him. A threadbare yellow sweater with the Hyperion logo on it, a pair of roll up shorts and the most soft pair of panties he'd touched in a long time. Long time meaning he was pretty sure they were so soft that they most likely cost more than his whole underwear drawer. Once he was dressed he padded back into the living room of Jacks penthouse, smacking into someones chest.

 

“Oh I'm so-” he started before furrowing his eyebrows as he was cut off. “You're Rhys?”

  
This guy was gigantic, he loomed over Rhys without even trying, and it freaked him out a little bit. “Yeah.” he assented, nodding a little. “Come on I'm supposed to take you home.” he sounded almost crestfallen, like he was thinking how low he was sinking to have to drive home Jacks new...boyfriend? Fuck buddy? _Sugar baby_? Rhys wasn't entirely sure it was moving a little fast for him to keep up.

“Oh...did Jack fire that guy from last night?”

“Something like that.”

  
**

  
When he came back to his apartment pretty much everyone important in his life was sitting in the cramped space of the living area of his and Vaughn's shoebox apartment. It looked like an intervention, “Guys...is everything alright?” He asked nervously, waving his cybernetic arm at the group.

“YOU'RE ALIVE!” Sasha of all people bounded into him in a crushing hug, throwing him completely off balance so that he knocked into the just closed front door. “Yeah, why wouldn't I be?...can you let me go, my ribs are crushing?” he wheezed, prying himself from Sasha's vice-like bear hug. Sasha just scoffed at him, “I can't believe I was even worried about you.”

“August told us that you got in a car with Handsome Jack.” Vaughn murmured in a somber tone, “We were all freaked out.”

“Why?” he replied, and then “Wait...August? Did you profess your undying love?” he teased, “I'm glad you guys got some alone time-”

“Hey don't change the subject, this isn't about me.” Vaughn snapped, looking anywhere but at his best friend who happened to sometimes be his worst friend, “This-this is about you! You're in trouble here, Rhys. Because you went somewhere with Handsome Freaking Jack! He's a murderer and-” Vaughn cut his own anxious ramblings off, narrowing his eyes at Rhys “Is that a Hyperion sweater? Rhys no...”

“Oh Rhys yes!” Yvette cackled at him, holding her hand up for a high-five that Rhys gave her, mouthing 'thank you' to her for not mothering him about this.

  
“Was he good?” she pulled her glasses down to the bridge of her nose and wriggled her eyebrows at him in a caricature of suggestion. He was feeling pretty proud of himself, there were probably ten other leggy, socially awkward bisexuals.

  
Rhys just happened to be the one with enough dumb luck and clumsiness to fall in Handsome Jacks lap.

 

Rhys nodded giddily in response, “More like great.” but then added in a serious tone, “I'm fine. Better than fine, the worst thing that happened to me last night was having to hang out with a CL4P-TP unit for the rest of the night, he had to leave...it's kind of a weird complicated story.”

“Aren't you worried he's going to kill you when your blow job game gets lazy?” Fiona quipped, her voice was a little shaky beneath the sarcasm, she had been silent the whole time.

Rhys sighed as he pushed past his friends to the kitchenette, “I'm hungry are you guys hungry?” he came back to his relationship intervention with a tub full of cookie dough ice cream and the hot chocolate spoon he had been nursing for the past three weeks. “Look… I get it that you're all concerned but...you guys are not my collective mother, I'm an adult so just let me make my own decisions.”

“I'm serious. I mean this guy is...dangerous Rhys.” Fiona was in full-on big sister/mom mode, looking at him seriously. “What if he kills you? Imagine what that would do to Vaughn!” _and the rest of us, maybe. Selfish jerk_. Left unsaid, but definitely implied.

Rhys shrugged at all of his friends, there concerns were perfectly valid but he didn't really care to listen to it. Besides, Jack had pretty much said that he wanted him to himself and wasn't _that_ an ego boost.

  
“I dunno, he's been nice to me.” he said, mostly to himself allowing a small almost secretive smile on his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha, Vaughns got a cruuuuush.


	4. Chapter 4.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> first dates post-sex with Rhys and Jack. Angel is introduced to the story. Vasquez being a creepy ex, Rhys meddling in Vaughn and Augusts' (lack of a) love life.

**_Chapter 4._ **

Jack had ended up rescheduling with Rhys, he had been disappointed but understanding. Jack was probably even more busy than he was, and Rhys worked 60 hours at his day job and 30 at his...night job, so that was saying something.  
That didn't make it so he wasn't at least a little surprised when Jack showed up to his office unannounced. He pulled Rhys into a possessive kiss that the younger man melted into.  
When he eventually pulled away but not before nipping on his lower lip and leaving Rhys' with red cheeks. Jack leaned leisurely over Rhys while the other man tried to ignore Jack and work.  
Emphasis on try. Jack was generally hard to ignore when he wasn't trying but now that he was making an effort to keep Rhys' attention in the most juvenile of ways.

“Hey kitten,” then, “Rhysie...” followed by, “Rhys. Rhys Rhys, Rhyyyysie. RHYS.” He had eventually worn Rhys down enough that he looked up at the other man and with a sigh, “Yes, Jack?” the reading glasses he wore at work drooped down the bridge of his nose, his hair a disheveled mess. He supposed that he must have looked terrible to his partner.

Jack looked at him like the cat who got the canary, “Let's go get lunch. You and me, babe. I wanted to make up for standing you up.” it was kind of sweet, but the workaholic in Rhys was begging him to finish everything, and the perfectionist in him wanted him to make sure he did it right. So, the part of Rhys that felt special when he got that kind of attention had to be put on the back burner.

“I'm not sure I can...” he trailed off and Jack gave him a look that said 'Don't bullshit me, kid'

“My boss is kind of-” _my ex boyfriend and a total D-bag,_ “Pushy.” Rhys pouted at the older man, “Plus, I have a feeling that by lunch you don't mean coffee and panini's.” he teased, looking at Jack up from his lashes. He caught his lower lip with his teeth, completing the virgin-whore look he had perfected in college. “I'm actually...kind of surprised you came to see me.” he admitted softly, he was almost sure that Jack didn't hear him. He was wrong.

“Why wouldn't I…?” Jack gave him a leer.

“Well, you canceled. I guess I figured that was a hint for me that you weren't really interested?” he shrugged noncommittally, “I thought you'd be more into...I don't know, supermodels or James Bond girls? Not socially awkward data miners who have to strip to keep the lights on.” _its a lot of baggage, I know. I mean, I guess I'm cute but not that cute_. he thought, but he didn't voice it.

“I'm getting sick of your shit, pumpkin.” there was a playful undertone in Jack's voice, “I thought I made this painfully clear to you but I'll say it again; _I_ pursued _you_. I don't _want_ some slutty supermodel, I want _you_.”  
Rhys decided, not to say that Jack never told him that because he figured that it was heavily so implied that only someone as dead to social cues as him wouldn't get it. “Well, I just don't understand...are you my boyfriend, are you my sugar daddy, _are you the guy who uses me for sex_? I'm sorry I just...don't get it.”

“Do you want me to be your boyfriend?” he moved to where he was leaning over Rhys and kissed the top of his head, he squeezed his shoulders and mouthed along his neck. He suckled on his pulse point, making sure to leave marks on him.  
“Yeah...” he hummed back, giddy from all the attention he was getting. It was more affection than he had gotten in a while and he loved it.

“Then, that's what we'll do.”

“Just like that?” he looked at the older man, smiling at him lazily.

“Yeah, just like that. Now, get your pretty little ass up. We're gonna go out and get some overpriced coffee. Come on! It'll be PG-13 first date behavior tops.” he pulled Rhys up with him, giving his bum a playful smack and snaking an arm around the other mans waist, “I'll be a perfect gentleman, scouts honor.”

Rhys allowed himself to be swooped away and spoiled for an hour.

**  
Jack had decided to take him to the most overpriced cafe he had ever even seen in real life and refused to let Rhys even think about price. “Get everything or anything you want. But if you try to order something cheap or act all stupid and humble about it I'm ordering one of everything and making you take it all.” Rhys pouted in kind and mumbled, “Okay, okay...”  
he ended up ordering a fancy coffee in a cup that looked like a bowl, he grinned at Jack when he looked at Rhys weirdly. “I'll get ten of these,” He teased back, sticking his tongue out at the other man “that expensive enough?”

“You just love to be difficult.” Jack snarked in kind calling the waitress over, an overtly peppy middle aged woman, “Hey, uh...Tammy. Rhysie and me'll take one of everything.” he grinned over at Rhys wolfishly. Jack grabbed Rhys' hand and kissed his wrist, like he was courting Rhys and maybe he was. It's not as if he didn't already adore him.

“I'm sorry.” Rhys murmured, not looking at the other man.

“Nah, don't be. Stubborn's a good look for ya, Sweet-cheeks.” he moved closer to the younger male, so he was sitting next to him. He squeezed Rhys' knee, “Makes spoiling the shit out of you, _a loooot_ more fun.” he coughed awkwardly, “Let's play a game, huh? I ask you a question, you ask me one, we answer, blah-blah-blah. Learn about each other, you know, other than the obvious.” he gave Rhys an over-exaggerated once over, “You're an engineer right, tell me all about that.”

“What, did you pull up my file?”

“No, I got a private investigator.” at Rhys' shocked expression he hastily added, “Kidding! Jesus, kiddo. You work at an engineering department of a tech company dumdum. It's on the wall! Now come on princess, play along.”

“Um, not really. We're—Well I am, my boss does nothing anymore. It's supposed to be teamwork but he's such a-Anyways, we're dealing with shields right now. You know how sometimes with nova shields the explosion will go inward instead of outward? Well, we're trying to recalibrate it so the chance of a defect is closer 0 percent than 5.5. Which isn't bad but when it is...sorry I'm rambling.” Jack cared less about the process and more about how excited Rhys got about the things he cared about. He was a hand-talker, Jack noticed, making a lot of exaggerated gestures and expressions whenever he spoke.

“Huh, _yeeaah,_ those shields can fuck someone up. There, you get you're question now.”

“Where did, where did you go last night?” he asked, before internally punching him self in the face, “I'm just curious...” he amended, “You don't have to tell me I'm just-”

“I had to see my daughter,” Jack cut him off, nudging a plate of pancakes Rhys had been looking longingly at to the other male, “She had an accident, broke her ankle.” he explained shortly, he hadn't wanted to bring up Angel just yet.  
Rhys almost spit out his food, “Oh shit, is she okay?” He replied with a mouthful of pancakes, so it sounded more like 'oh shift if'e ok' earning a laugh from the other man. He blushed down to his ears and swallowed the remaining food, “Heh, sorry...Wait, you have a daughter?”  
Jack nodded which invited Rhys to barrage him with questions, what's her name? How old is she? Does she look like you? Does she live with you? What's she like? Can I meet her? Why didn't you tell me? I love kids!

Rhys had always had this uncanny ability to be incredibly easy going and neurotic at the same time. He had never had a problem taking things that might have been big news to other people easily. The flip-side to that being that he had a hair trigger for small things that didn't matter and come to think of it, the last time he had panicked over something legitimate instead of just going numb had been when he had started at the Purple Skag.

Jack answered all of his questions in quick succession, “Her names Angel. Seventeen, so she's not really a kid anymore. No, she looks nothing like me, she looks like her mom. Not most of the time she's usually at the boarding school she goes to upstate, comes home on weekends.” He paused and looked at Rhys, honestly surprised at the younger males casual acceptance. “She's a good kid, when you meet her I'm sure you two'll get along babe.” He grinned, “Buuuuut, back to business that was like ten questions so...”

“Go right ahead, then.”

“Oooookay, one, the guy across from your cubicle givin' me death glares.”

“Oh that's my boss, Vasquez.” Rhys groaned, “He's...an idiot who thinks he's a genius.”

the older man scoffed, “That's not so bad.”

“Yeah, he's also my controlling ex boyfriend.” he winced, waiting for the impending doom of rejection.

“Good,” Jack hummed, looking at Rhys with a kind of righteous indignation that in the back of his brain he realized should have scared him, “That means I don't have to apologize to you for shooting him in the back the next time he looks at you funny.”

**  
Since his break up with Vasquez his work life had been tumultuous at best, at pretty much all the fault of his ex. He guessed that Vasquez was pissed because they had ended with Rhys' smashing a vase of 'get well soon' flowers over Vasquez' head while he was recovering from his surgery.  
Then, he was probably jealous because of Jack calling him in sick, the fact that the older man came to his work on most days to take him to lunch and Jack being an incredibly handsy boyfriend who wasn't threatened by anyone.  
He was always kissing him and wrapping his arms around Rhys possessively, one time he had threatened to pick the younger male up and carry him home over his shoulder if he didn't wrap his work up. Rhys had of course hastily obeyed because all the things he had known about Jack had never pointed to him bluffing, at least not to him.  
Vasquez had spent a lot of time making him work so much that Rhys was slowly going insane, like he was thinking, “Hey maybe once I fuck up his self-esteem enough and ruin his life he'll HAVE to take me back. Or have a nervous breakdown, either way it's a win.” It wasn't that Rhys didn't love his job, he did. He had wanted to be an engineer since he was in elementary school.

That didn't change the fact that every day he had idealizations of corporate suicide. There wasn't much he could do about it anyway, he had a contract with Atlas. If he quit he had to pay them money, and with Vasquez holding onto him like an emotional leech, Atlas basically owned him for the next five years and he was stuck doing Vasquez' dirty work and dealing with him. At least until he got promoted or fired, which Rhys hoped would happen as soon as possible.

“I'm going to need you to stay late again, Rhys.” there was something grating about Vasquez' voice that Rhys had never noticed before, he rolled his eyes at the other man, “I'm going home, start doing your own job Hugo.” Rhys deadpanned, spitting the other mans name like it was poison. Still, he kept his eyes on his own work, not even sparing a glance at Vasquez; he was sure the other man was positively infuriated at him.

“You have a contract with Atlas, a contract with me. You stay late or I'll have you demoted to janitorial.” Vasquez replied pointedly, and something in that condescending statement just made Rhys snap.  
“I- _you,_ you can't make me cancel my plans again just to do your freaking dirty work,” it probably sounded whiny to Vasquez but Rhys was so frustrated with Vasquez and his bullshit. He had already been forced to cancel with Jack three times, having to call him up every single time, apologizing with the same amount of guilt and remorse that he would have if he had set his house on fire and destroyed everything he loved.  
In a split second Vasquez grabbed his wrist and smashed his lips against Rhys'. Rhys didn't respond for a moment, frozen in shock, when he came to senses he bit down on Vasquez' tongue.

 ** _“What the hell is wrong with you?!”_ ** Rhys screamed, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “You-you can't just just do that! I'm going home and if you ever say anything other than 'finish those reports' to me ever again. I'll quit but not before going to Tassiter and telling him you tried to assault me.” He rushed out of the office not even looking at Vasquez as he pushed past him.

**

Rhys came back to his apartment, feeling pessimistic and annoyed. He hit the couch forcibly when he sat down, crossing his arms over his chest and looked at the TV angrily as it blasted nonsense.  
“Woah...I can feel your rage, dude.” Vaughn remarked upon entering the dimly lit apartment with Fiona. “Did something happen with Jack?” Rhys shook his head, “Did they discontinue your favorite ice cream?” He shook his head again, “Uh, okay…was it-”

“I had a bad day at work.” He cut him off bitterly, “I don't want to talk about it.” as Fiona ran to their kitchen, raiding it for comfort foods. Fiona came back into the room, holding a box of the most disgusting foods she could find.

She quickly handed Rhys the ice cream tub, “...Thanks.” He murmured to her, “But I'm still mad at you. I mean, you guys gave me an intervention because I didn't come home on a Saturday. Who does that?”

“Uh, good people” Fiona gestured at their little group, “Concerned for the town hot mess. That's you, by the way.” she pointed at him for clarification. “Because you have a tendency to latch on to the first warm body willing to pay attention to you.” Fiona dismissively wave off Rhys' sputters of protestation, “Just bein' real.”

“It's less like that, Rhys doesn't usually pursue people.” Rhys was about to thank Vaughn before he continued, “It's...more like he's catnip for assholes.”

“You know we had good reason to be worried, Rhys'” Vaughn added, looking at Rhys pointedly, while the cybernetic man channel surfed, pointedly trying to ignore Vaughn and his stupid good intentions.

“You probably have the worst romantic taste I've ever seen.” Vaughn added and Rhys sputtered in defiance, “I do n-”

“Uh, yeah you do.” Fiona cut him off, apparently backed up with a list of his priors,“What about that guy who ended up having a false identity?” “Or the guy who tried to start a cult…and failed.” she added, “Man, you have the worst luck. Not even a successful cult leader.”

“Oh yeah, that's cool guys. Come in to my house, eat my food, just talk about me like I'm not even here. It's fiiiiiine.” Rhys muttered to himself, thankfully his friends, well Vaughn decided to show mercy and at least divert the subject a little, “Speaking of bad romantic taste hows Assquez treating you? Still being all weird and creepy?” aaaaand it goes from bad to worse.

“He tried to kiss me. Um before I came here, and it's...” Rhys mumbled in kind, he hugged his knees and buried his face in his hands. “I don't know what to do! I just...And I can't tell Jack because Jack will just straight up murder him.” he babbled, looking at them helplessly.

“And that's a bad thing because…?” Vaughn asked, looking at Rhys. “I mean, you know I don't condone violence, bro, but dude…Vasquez.” He stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
Vaughn had never liked Vasquez. Well, he didn't like any of Rhys' boyfriends or girlfriends, mainly out of an over-protective brotherly instinct. Vaughn's just more intuitive than him, he realized.  
Him and Vaughn had been friends since they were in diapers, they were basically family. With Vasquez it was different, much more intense. Vaughn had barely tolerated him on a good day.  
Rhys remembered the day after Rhys had broken it off with him and he had tried to come to Rhys' apartment and visit him and Vaughn had slammed the door in his face.

“Hey, Fiona can I talk to you in my room?” Rhys called for her, Fiona came back her hat with her slightly askew, and her lips set in a line. She looked kind of like the next words coming from her mouth were going to be, I'm not mad I'm just disappointed.  
When the two of them were alone he implored her, “Can you leave?” at the distasteful look on her face he amended, “it's just that I have some...plans. For Vaughn and August,” He gave Fiona a cheeky grin, hoping she got the message. “Aaaaaand I need Augusts' number.”

“Are you seriously going to meddle in this?” at Rhys' joyous 'Yes!' she looked him over, “Twenty bucks.” She smiled at him mischievously, “Oh, and give me your EchoFlix password.” added as an afterthought.

“I hate you.” He pouted, writing down his password for his hatted friend. His phone pinged obnoxiously, he glanced at it and muttered, “Hold on a second.” before bursting into a wide grin.

**> Hey kitten were going out tonight get ur ass lookin pretty.**   
** >prettier anyways cuz ur always hot as hell**   
** >tssssss**

Unbeknownst to Rhys, Fiona had been looking over his shoulder. “Damn he's cheesy for a  
psychopath.”

“He's not a psycho-”

“Anyways, when are we going to see him in person with you, anyways?” Fiona teased, “If I didn't know any better I'd say you're embarrassed of us, kitten.” Rhys blushed down to his shoulders, looking at Fiona indignantly before finally turning away.

“I'm incredibly embarrassed, no not embarrassed- Ashamed. You guys are the most obnoxious people in the entire city of Pandora-”

“Wooooow, really you met everyone? All of Pandora! You must be chummy with the Vault hunters.” Shut up Fiona.

“Sooooo, I'mma wait a little before I expose him to you know...all of that.” He gestured at Fiona, using her as the combined force of all his friends before texting Jack back.

**> sure sounds great**   
** > what are we doing?**

“You're acting like a teenager, Rhys. It's...a little off-putting.” Rhys stuck his tongue out at her, he didn't particularly care about Fiona's opinion. He was actually happy right now, and it was a new occurrence for him.

**> sumthin fun. Its a surprise~ ;)))**

Ooh, a surprise? One of two things, one; I get to meet angel, which is unlikely because apparently she gets visits with her mum during this time of year. Two; its something hedonistic, and with Jack and his stupid emojis that's always a 90 percent possibility.

>okay...no hardcore drugs tho

He sent that last text with a cheeky grin on his lips. Pretty ironic, seeing as he had a fake dare shirt that said,  
_“Drugs._  
 _Are._  
 _Really._  
 _Exciting!”_

**> Damn**   
** >and to think I got all that cocaine. I got u sumthin pretty to wear tonite**

“Uhhh...Okay, I'm gonna go get ready. Cool! I get to jump start a relationship-”

“Or destroy any chances of it.”

**> something pretty??? :D**

“Yeah, but I won't I've got a plan.” he muttered dismissively, to Fiona.

“Really? Is your plan just locking them in a room together?” Fiona snarked at him, “Great plan.”

**> Ya ull luv it**

“No! _Whaaaaaat_ , no, that would be- No. It's- I've gotta go, and uh...do my hair” Rhys scampered out of the room, hitting the counter on his hip on the way out.  
Fiona sighed, muttering “moron.”more than a little fondly under her breath as she walked out of the tiny apartment.

**  
Rhys did have a plan, well a second plan. Because apparently his first plan only worked in 1990s family films. So he had to come up with something a little less dramatic. He'd make up some false pretenses to get the August and Vaughn alone. Then get some drinks in the two of them, social lubrication, especially Vaughn. Most especially Vaughn, who was a lot more introverted than he was. Maybe something good would come of it, he hoped at least.

He already got August in the apartment, he had gotten him there on the pretense of fixing their broken heater. He had been surprisingly amiable about it. August came back in to the apartment.  
He either did it because someone made him, probably Fiona or because he wanted to distract himself after being brutally dumped by Sasha. Because there's really no good way to put, I never love you, I was using you the whole time.

He muttered, “Shit.” when he caught the loose floorboard, “Yeah...sorry about that floorboard. It creaks inward and it's really sensitive. It's so sensitive I'm pretty sure it reads Sylvia Plath.” he giggled nervously all the while thinking about how good this was going. Despite the fact that Vaughn had barely said two words to August, less said, more along the lines of squeaked.

“I could have some fix that?” He offered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly but Rhys just shook his head good-humoredly. “Since, I'm here...” He smiled, August wasn't really his type but he could see what Vaughn saw in him. He had that whole rugged charm thing going for him with his slight accent, his piercings, his facial hair. Rhys could see it, despite the fact that Rhys thought he looked a little too much like a hot topic manager for his tastes. All style, no substance.

“No, it's okay! The Mormon's think our apartment is unholy ground because of it so it's better broken than fixed. Plus, I just- thanks for helping with the uh, water heater. Do you want a drink?”

“Uh no that's alright...”

“Please?” Rhys held his hands together in a mock prayer, “I just feel bad, y'know? I'm sure you have better things to do...” he gave his best I'm-so-helpless smile, that tended to make people do whatever he wanted. After a little bit of coaxing and a lot of pleading, August finally agreed with a defeated, “Yeah, okay.”

“Come on, Vaughn. We're gonna play I've never and get drunk.” Rhys called to his smaller friend, towing a couple of bottles of rum and vodka. “Well. You guys will. I have the alcohol tolerance of a gold rush prospector in a John Wayne film. That is to say, higher than the both of you combined.”

“Okay,” Vaughn grinned mischievously at Rhys, “I never went home with a stranger.” Rhys shrugged and poured himself a drink.  
“Do I need to take more than one? You know, for obvious reasons.” he sassed before downing the bitter amber liquid. August took a drink too, he looked at Vaughn oddly when the bespectacled man wasn't looking at him. “I never ignored my feelings for someone.” he chirped, feeling self-satisfied that both Vaughn and August took a drink.

After about six or seven more “I never's” Vaughn was drunk enough to talk to August, and August was getting there too.  
Good, Rhys thought, Executing phase two: making a loooooooove connection. Ha ha.

“So, August. How have you been? You know, since the whole Sasha tearing out your heart and stomping it on the ground and setting it on fire thing?” he asked, he only had to half-feign sympathy because it had been pretty fucked up.

“Yeah! She did, tear my heart out and-uh, that thing you said.” he stuck his finger in the air, a drunken psychological breakthrough.  
“Di'n you date Sasha, Rhys?” Vaughn slurred, resting his head on Augusts' shoulder almost subconsciously. Rhys subdued the urge to giggle at Vaughn, he was such a light-weight.

“I don't think it was a date so much as bad drunken hook-ups.” Rhys chirped back, he subconsciously rubbed his nose at the remembrance of the broken nose Fiona had given him when she had found out about it. “But, Vaughn! My buddy Vaughn has been broken up with pretty hard too.” he sighed dramatically, “It's terrible, really. How people are.” he turned around, in a dramatic nonverbal statement of “Oh! how cruel the world is.”  
Looking back on it he was really glad that his mother had forced him into doing drama classes, it made everything easier.

He turned around expecting to have to play it up, but he was happily surprised to Vaughn huddled up in Augusts' lap, kissing him like his life depended on it. That was easy.  
“Go Vaughn.” he muttered to himself. Rhys clicked his tongue and gave the two of them finger guns that they couldn't see before getting ready for what would probably be another extraordinary night with Jack.

**  
Jack entered Rhys' apartment, looking at the odd scene before him. Rhys' roommate, a weirdly muscular short guy cuddled up against one of Moxxi's security guys. “Kitten?” he whisper-yelled in the apartment.  
“Hellooooo?” he asked again, this time a little louder and almost like magic, Rhys appeared from the bathroom, fully ready and preened.  
“Come here, let me have a look at you.” Rhys bit his lip. partly because he was nervous and partly because he knew Jack liked it, and moved towards the moved toward the mobster with slow, slow, _sloooooow_ steps.  
Rhys had gone for casual, partly because he figured that was what it would be but mainly because he didn't own too many nice clothes. He's wearing the Hyperion sweater Jack had given him the first time he had slept with Rhys. It's an old thing, frayed at the collar and sleeves and threadbare.  
Jack is glad Rhys was wearing a t-shirt underneath it because otherwise he and everyone else would be able to see his entire upper body teased through the threads of its fabrics.  
“...I'm under-dressed.” he stated lamely, looking at Jacks tailored suit. He doesn't exactly know what to make of Jack he's never dated the type of guy willing to spend large amounts of money on him. Or really, any amount of money, the feeling of being spoiled is so foreign to him which, in turn only fuels the older man to give him more expensive things then he had seen in his life, and take him to places he never believed he would see; it's a vicious cycle of sex, pampering and Rhys' self-esteem issues. “I, hm...didn't know where we were going and I thought that maybe...”

“No, you look...” Jack starts, even though the only thoughts his brain were supplying _like a steak being hovered in front of a wolf,_ “perfect.”

“Turn around” Jack demands, he makes a swiveling motion with his hand, he keeps his voice quiet enough to not rouse the two others barely inches away from him but loud enough so he's enraptured the attention of his partner. Rhys is barely three-quarters through the turn when Jack grabs his hips roughly, earning an undignified squeak as he pulled the younger man flush against him.

“We should be quiet.” Rhys hummed when he saw that Jack was done inspecting him, he puts a finger to the other mans lips in a playful gesture. “They're sleeping.”  
Jack can tell he's a little tipsy, he probably had not drunk enough to be fully intoxicated but definitely enough that his cheeks were rosier and definitely more tactile and bubbly. Not that Jack had a problem with that, not even a little bit.  
“I can see that,” he murmured, smoothing his hand over Rhys' hair,  
“So what happened with muscles and nose ring. what's his name?” Jack snapped his fingers in a mockery of him actually trying to remember, “I don't know, September?”

“August.” he chirped, wrinkling his nose at Jack. “You know that, Jack.”

“Right, yeah...they're getting pretty cozy, huh.” Jack looked at the two men cuddled up, “I'm guessing that was something you did?” when Rhys nodded proudly Jack laughed good-naturedly, “Wow. That's a little disturbing, cupcake. Didn't think all that manipulation was in ya.”

Rhys gave him a flirty disbelieving smile, “it wasn't manipulation...” he countered hazily, giving the older man an exaggerated pout, “It was just...a push in the right direction.” that much was true, he had seen it go on for a while. Every time the two men were in a room together, Vaughn would look at August when he thought that August wasn't looking and vice-verse. Eventually Rhys became tired of all the mutual pining and emotional slowness that both the men exhibited and felt forced to intervene.

“Is that what they call it?” Jack smile was all teeth, he patted his partners bum playfully. “We're gonna have a nice time tonight sweetheart, but we need to get your present first.” Rhys cocked his head to the side, he had forgotten about that. The night had been so hectic that he had forgotten a lot. “What is my present?” he mumbled to the other man, Jack chuckled darkly and arousal stirred in the pits of Rhys' stomach, he pulled out a pretty smallish box and handed it to his bewildered partner. He looked at the older man in incredulity before disentangling his limbs and opening the present.

The object in question being a butt plug; It was not really large in diameter, maybe 3 inches if that.  
He fidgeted with the stainless steel object, noting the yellow stone decorating the circular base of the plug. Rhys supposed it was more for stimulation than for opening him up. It really wouldn't be out of character for Jack to want to watch him squirm.  
He risked a look at Jack, “So can I put this in my room or do you want to use this tonight?” he asked, looking at his partner  
coyly. He coaxed the item from Rhys, putting it back in his pocket and taking back control from the younger man. He led Rhys down, out of the apartment and to the other man's car. “Well you'll just have to be wait and see, honey.” he cooed, voice filled with superiority and haughty condescension.  
**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna put the smut in this chapter but it was getting a little long but fear not for there will be more porn soon. ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut. Just a lot of smut, also some domestic fluff and a bit of plot formation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao there's daddy kink in this now, oops.

**Chapter 5.**

And _boy_ , did he see. The plan Jack had for Rhys was clear and plain as day when he had been told to strip as he entered the threshold of Jack's disturbingly lavish penthouse. He obeys almost immediately, coaxing the old faded jeans from his hips.  
He pulls them all the way down before stepping out of them, he moves to pull the underwear he had hastily thrown on with them but Jack stops him, he looked down and internally slapped himself at the pattern of them, little cartoon cats chasing balls of yarn.

“Oh kitten, that is _just_ precious.” Jack hummed, tracing the lines of the art with his nail. Rhys let out a shaky breath, his embarrassment curbing any arousal that he may have been feeling. Jack manhandled him onto his couch, he moved down in between Rhys' legs. Jack, chuckled and hoisted one of his lover's long, long legs over his shoulder.

“So I'm a little curious Rhysie,” Jack said casually, acting as if he was not teasing Rhys and prepping him for a toy. “So, the panties is that a kink of your or…?” Rhys bristled just a bit and he crosses his arms over his chest, he probably looks like a petulant child but he really couldn't bring himself to care.

“It's not sexual.” he says, feeling slightly emboldened, “It's...sensory.” he shrugs, but keeps his pout steadfast.

“Sensory?” Jack asks, trailing his hands under the sweater against his V-line. He presses his lips against the slight curve of Rhys' hips, the younger man could feel the smug grin against his hip.

“Weeeeeell...I don't like boxers because they're too loose and I don't like briefs, they're too tight. And the boxer briefs rub against the insides of my thighs too much and I really, really, really don't like that so one day I asked my friend Yvette if she could...you know.”

“Help you shop for panties?” Jack asked as he pulled down the colorful garment, adoring the embarrassed nod his lover gave,“I get them online most of the time nowadays,” the younger male added softly.

“Oh, Rhysie. _Kitten_ ,” Rhys pointedly glared at him, “You've got _no_ idea what you do to me.”

Rhys made a happy little noise, either from the indirect praise or Jack's ever-present hands all over his stomach and legs, “Plus I look really good in them.” He mumbled as an afterthought, a strand of his amber locks stuck to his forehead. The older man chuckled, “They sure do, pretty boy.”

Jack teased him into oblivion with his mouth and his hand, the younger man felt as though he died and this was his own personal hell, being touched and teased by Jack with nothing happening until finally he smacks Rhys' thigh hard.  
“Go get the fucking lube.” he growls, a predatory tone lacing his voice. He bites back the urge to make some snappy comment- _The fucking lube Jack? As opposed to what, The cuddling lube?_ -and hastily obeys.

“So...um, what is going to happen,” he pointed at the toy in Jack's grip, “With that?”

“Oh, well kitten if you _must_ know,” Jack murmured, teasing his fingers around the tattooed skin of Rhys' chest. He scratched his thumb over the younger man's nipple, eliciting a mewl from him. “I'm taking you to this fancy charity dinner, we're gonna have a real nice time babe. Classy, you know?” Jack's grin turned devious, “ _Exceeeeeept_ , you'll be wearing this plug all night.” he pulled himself upwards, pressing his lips against the others' chastely. “I'm sure you can fill in the blanks of what happens when we come back here.”

“What?!” Rhys spluttered, his face began to flare up. With the blush coming down to his collarbones he added, “I-I-I dunno if that's...a good idea?”

“What are you worried about, kitten?” Jack hummed, his hand dived in between Rhys' parted legs.  
Inwardly, Rhys sighed. A little bit of fingering, he had no problem with that. But exhibition? He's not sure if he's that kinky...in front of other people.

“You got the biggest bad on all of Pandora spoilin' the _hell_ outta you.” a kiss was pressed to Rhys' inner thigh, “You afraid they'll make fun of you?” then the sound of the bottle of lube being uncapped, the cold liquid smeared all over Jack's-fucking huge- fingers before they moved to tease against Rhys' hole.

“Because, I don't think that's gonna happen.” Jack said as he eased one of his fingers slowly and teasingly inside of Rhys, “Personally, I don't think anyone'll be able to focus on anything other than how goddamn hot the both of us are together.”

“It's just...” he was cut off by his own moan when the older man's fingers brushed against his prostate. “'M sorry 'm jus' not sure I can do that...” he bit his lip exhaling in pleasure. He pouted, adding in accusation “Y're not playin' fair,”

“Oh no?” Jack feigned ignorance, a mean smirk playing at his lips. “Kitten, I'm _hurt_.”

“No.” Rhys agreed, biting his lip nervously “Someone'll say something. I don't wanna look...”

The light-bulb in the older man's head flashed, his Rhysie didn't want to look cheap. It would have made sense if it was anyone else but this was Handsome Jack he was with! No one would even think anything even remotely negative about Rhys while he was handing on the mobsters arm.  
So Jack was a little more persistent, the idea sounded like so much _fun_.

If they did this right, by the end of the night Rhys would be so flustered and needy. Grinding his perfect plump ass all over him and the image of his pretty boy clinging to him, begging him for release, maybe even whimpering to Jack to take him home early so he would fuck him was worth doing a little more work to get.  
“Oh cupcake, no one's going to say shit to or about you. Hell, they won't even look at you wrong if they know what's good for them.” Jack paused, looking at Rhys pleadingly, “Come on sugar, let daddy have this.”

“Promise?” Rhys asked, looking hopeful that the older man was sincere in his statements. Jack smirked in reply, tracing his thumb against the others lower lip.  
“Of course,” he reassured easily, “but I won't make you do anything you don't want to babe.” his actions defied his words however, as Jack's fingers were thrust inside of him at a particularly brutal pace.

“Nngh, no I think I can do it for you.” he blushed and added with a coy smile, “I guess It does sound like fun _daddy_.” Rhys decided he liked the sound of that because maybe deep, deep, deep down he wanted to be taken care of and if the person doing that was Handsome-Goddamn-Jack he was all for it.

“Good boy.” he praised as he pushed the toy all the way inside of Rhys. “I got you an outfit to wear, if you don't want to wear _that_ ,” Jack pointed towards the younger males outfit.

He nodded happily, “Thanks for the forethought.”  
**  
It wasn't just the plug that shifted inside of him every few steps teasing him into a constant purgatory of too-much/not-enough- he had a system of microscopic _baby_ - _steps_ to counteract _that_ not so little problem- that caused Rhys to feel uncomfortable, mainly his problem was that he felt out of place.  
Everyone there looked like they knew what they were doing, dressed to the nines and with their heads held confident and high. He thanked Jack with his eyes when the older man didn't hold it against him for clinging to his arm nervously.

“I'm so uncomfortable.” Rhys whined into Jack's coat, nervously nuzzling into the older man. Jack chuckled in kind, he placed his hands on Rhys' hips and gave them a possessive squeeze. “What is the charity supposed to be?”

Jack shrugged, “Something something cancer kids I guess,” he quipped with a snarky grin. He must have noticed Rhys' apprehension, because he was leaning in closer almost incestuously close.

“You'll be fine.” Jack assured softly in his ear before nipping at it, “It's not a test, Rhys.” Rhys cringed, about to protest the mobster using his actual name. “You're not getting graded you cute little overachiever.”

“Really?” the younger male quipped, “that's good, because I didn't have a chance to study.”

“Well, if it was it would be okay. You know cause you're fucking the-” Jack is cut off by a familiar face, a dark skinned woman dressed to the nines with slicked back hair that had a singular white streak in it. Rhys had seen her before, not many people had no idea who Aurelia Hammerlock.  
The Baroness was a famous heiress she, along with her eccentric brother, had assets that added to upwards of billions of dollars. Rhys smiled nervously for if he was being honest with himself he was more than a little starstruck. “What do you want?”

“Nice to see you too.” Aurelia stated graciously, Jack in return gave her a dirty look that practically screamed ' _Ugh, what now_?', the baroness didn't even seem mildly bothered by the mobsters standoffish attitude. “Hello, darling” she added, specifically to Rhys. “I do wish that we could engage in pleasantries but I need to steal your date.”

Okay, Rhys thought, Something came up. Logically, he understood that it was probably something life-or-death important but his inherit pettiness didn't stop him from being a little annoyed at having the older man's attentions drawn elsewhere.

“Who fucked up?” Jack deadpanned, and Aurelia looked at him gravely, “I do need a word with you Jack.” she looked at him intensely, “it's important.”

“Really, Hammerlock? This can't wait until tomorrow? I'm kinda in the middle of something. Or someone.” Jack looked at her incredulously, “This was just supposed to be a classy dinner.”

“Jack please.” The baroness replied with her voice drawn tight in a contemptuous way that suggested life or death.

“Fine.” he relented, turning to Rhys he added. “I'll be right back, kitten.”

“Are you really leaving me alone with these people?” Rhys asked, looking at Jack nervously he mouthed, “I have no idea what I'm doing here!” but Jack was already walking him towards their table place. He moved the both of them so quickly that Rhys struggled with his mantra of _'Baby Steps, Baby Steps_.' and let out an embarrassing squawk.

Rhys gave him the worlds clearest death glare. “Five minutes.” Jack said, looking at him with promise and even the fairest hint of sincerity.

“Five minutes.” Rhys agreed, still glaring at the older man. “Or I'm going home.”

Something about the redheaded male had the ability to make Jack melt into something softer, more indulgent. “I'll even call the cab for the both of us and let you pout the whole way home.” he held his palm out for the younger man to shake, “Deal?”

“Deal.” Rhys amended, turning back to the table. He frowned, figuring he'd be drinking alone at the bar while Jack was gone. Just because he was dealing with the mobster's hubris didn't mean he had to _like_ it.

“I'm timing you, you handsome jerk.” he mumbled to himself, folding his arms together reminiscent of a petulant child, he was thankful Jack was out of sight because if he was there for Rhys' internal temper tantrum he would never hear the end of it.

He walked towards the open bar, “Hey can I get the most alcoholic yet syrupy sweet drink you have.” he gave his best smile, although he felt more like moping or giving up and going home. The bartender handed him something with a toxic green coloration, he downed the drink in seconds.

“Woah killer, slow down.” the women sitting next to him remarked sarcastically, she smiled at him in a superficially pleasant way. “You got a name?” he ignored her pointedly, not wanting to speak with anyone, at that moment all he wanted to do was have a drink and sulk a little. “Well. I'm Lilith.”

“Rhys.” he hummed before adding, “Actually can I get a blow-job?” to the bartender. “The drink not the… sex act.” he stammered after a moment.

“Rhys, right.” she leaned stalwartly against the bar, nursing her liquor. “Whose plus one are you?”

“Handsome Jack...brought me here.” Rhys noticed Lilith's eyes light up with mirth. Maybe hatred, maybe something else but he wasn't sure.

“I heard of you, I've just been calling you 'Handsome Jack's fuck-toy' but...nice to put a name to a face,” Lilith remarked, superiority and glibness in her tone. Rhys didn't like the undertones of her words, it made him feel cheap and he had to put forth all of his inner charisma so as to not tell her to go fuck right off. That was it, Rhys decided, he was going to kill Jack.

“That's my Native American name!” Rhys replied, the sarcasm and flippancy dripping from him. “Anyways he's off doing...whatever. If you were wondering.”

“How's it feel being tossed off to the side like that?” she asked, he supposed, rhetorically. “does it sting?”

“Look, I wasn't being tossed off to si-” he was cut off almost instantaneously by a familiar face, he sighed looking at the man.

“Is there a problem here?” Jack- wait no, some guy who definitely could pass for Jack but wasn't him. “Because that whole truce you and Jack have going might be cut brutally short if you try messing with his things. You know that Lilith.” Not-Jack said, and Rhys looked at the man curiously.

He was almost a perfect doppelganger, almost. Physically they were both identical; same height, same hair, same scar, same everything. There was something about the man that struck him as off that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

“Nooo, no problem.” Lilith said, making her way away from them. “I just hope that Jack's a little more protective over his...” she clicked her tongue, looking at Rhys with pointed amusement. “ _Things_ in the future.”

“Uhhh, sorry about all that,” Not-Jack giggled nervously, “Lilith's kinda...” he gestured vaguely with his hand, trying to appear amiable to the amber haired male. Rhys couldn't help but think that this was the mysterious difference, there was something almost neurotic about this guy. “She has a real big hate-boner for Jack.” he stated emphatically.

“Who are you?” Rhys blurted out, cocking his head to the side. “You're not Jack.”

“What? How could you-” Not-Jack stammered nervously, “Shit. My names Timothy, Jack's my twin and he told me to check on you.” he nervously scratched the back of his head. “Most people can't tell.”

“Did Jack tell you to pretend to be him for me?” it didn't seem likely but he wasn't so sure it was impossible, Jack was possessive but maybe… Rhys shook his head, he didn't want to think about that.

Not now, not ever.

“Oh, uh no. Sometimes I double as him, you know just in case but I'm not doing that tonight. I'm just me right now.” Timothy looked fascinated, “How could you tell so easily? Most people have a ridiculous time telling us part” He shrugged, “Always have.”

“I'unno,” Rhys shrugged, “I can just tell.” Timothy snorted at that, causing the younger male to look at him in question. “I just...see a little bit of what Jack likes about you.”

Rhys cocked his head, “How do you mean?” he asked softly, nursing the glass protectively to his chest like it was his child.

“You're really...” Tim trailed off, looked behind him and noticed Jack coming towards them, “Never mind.” he giggled nervously. Timothy scratched the back of his head neurotically.

“Hey baby-doll,” Jack wrapped his arms around Rhys' waist possessively, “Tim-Tams! Lady Hammerlock's got some business for you too so...” he mimicked a whip cracking. Timothy rolled his eyes in response but made his way back to the baroness.

“Come on Rhysie” Jack said gruffly, before whisking Rhys away to sit on his lap so he could spend the rest of the evening pampering the younger man and feeding him food that cost more money than some people made annually.  
**

Once Rhys was back in Jack's penthouse he was kissed hard and picked up by the older man without their lips disconnecting. Rhys mewled against Jack's lips, holding tight to the gangsters shoulders with all the trust he could muster. He pulled back abruptly, “I want to fuck you up against a wall, sound fun?”

“Yeah.” Rhys said lazily, he always got into subspace so easily. It was one of Jack's favorite things about fucking, or even just being with the younger man.

“I figured.” Jack grinned deviously, “Strip for me kitten.”

Rhys smiled and happily obliged, shrugging his coat off and easing the under shirt up over his shoulders. He coaxed the black slacks down past his hips, having a little trouble at first getting the soft material past the swell of his ass. He stepped out of the material graciously, smiling at the older man who seemed to have done the same during his own strip-tease.  
“Wait,” Jack stopped him as he was about to strip off the panties, “Keep those on, just...shift them to the side princess.” Rhys obeyed, smiling sweetly at the gangster.

“Listen carefully babe, While I fuck you,” Jack growled, slapping the younger mans ass hard. The motion inadvertently making the place brush against his prostate again, causing him to whimper.“I want you to keep your legs wrapped around me honey, can you do that for me?” the older man asserted, easing the plug out of him before slamming it back into him over and over. Rhys let out helpless moans as Jack fucked the toy in and out of him.

“Yes daddy, I can do that.” He replied with a giddy smile gracing his features as the older man lubed up his own cock, finally allowing the plug to leave the younger man's hole.  
“I love it when you call me that,” The older man praised as he hooked the undersides of Rhys' thighs under his arms, “My fucking sweet, special boy.”

The younger man hummed in response to the praise, eating it up like candy as he was maneuvered against the wall of Jack's living room. Rhys moaned softly, he gripped his hands against the older man's shoulders hard, his fingernails were likely to cut into Jack's skin. Jack eased his cock into his lover extremely slowly, taking his sweet time to bottom out into the tight channel pulling all the way out before slamming back in again. Rhys frowned, it was too slow, too teasing. “Faster, please.”

“What, like this?” Jack hummed as he quickened his pace ever so slightly, sneering meanly. The younger man threw his head back in frustration. He pouted at the older man, he was doing this on purpose.

“nnngh, _mooore_.” he whimpered, “Daddy more, more, more.” He mouthed against the older mans neck and chest while Jack thrust in and out of him, scratching hard at Jack's back.

“Shit, baby.” he groaned, thrusting hard and fast into the younger, “Like it rough, huh?”

Rhys tightened his grip on the older man, “uh-huh” he mumbled, feeling dreamy and sleepy. He could feel the bruises on his lower back form, Rhys knew without a doubt he would be sore and aching in the morning would be worth all the pleasure he felt now.

“Are you my good little whore?” The older man challenged.

“Oh my god!” the younger man screamed as Jack thrust into him at just the right angle. “ ** _Jaaaaaack_**.” he got so frustrated that he ended up attempting to thrust back on the older man's cock, only receiving patronizing coos in response while Jack held his hips in place against the wall.

“Jack is fine, sweetheart.” Jack chuckled, pressing his lips chastely against Rhys' cheek. The act a stark contrast from the hedonism they were engaging in. “but you didn't answer my question...” his thrusts slowed again, causing the redhead to melt into an angry whimpering mess.

“Yes, yes-yes-yes I'm your good little whore.” he moaned as Jack fucked him with fervor. “Faster please. Please, Jack…please daddy! Harder! Pleeeaase, I wanna be your good boy.”

“Anything for you baby,” only then did Jack comply to Rhys' wishes, thrusting into the younger man as hard and fast as he could. “Who do you belong to?”

“You...” Rhys mumbled, looking at Jack bleary eyed. “I belong to you.”

“Mm-hmm and who's fucking this pretty ass?” He coaxed, gripping his hips harder. “Come on sweetie, what's my name?”

“Handsome Jack! I...belong...to…Handsome Jack.” he hummed in between thrusts as Jack ravished him. They got into a steady rhythm of thrusting, moaning and whispered expletives. Rhys cried out Jack's name when he came, Jack following seconds afterward.  
Jack pulled out of him, easing the younger man onto his feet. Rhys almost immediately stumbled and Jack gripped him again, “Alright babe, okay” he said, “I gotcha Rhysie, don't worry daddy's gonna take care of you.” he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Rhys' head, getting giggles and giddy smiles in response.

Jack picked him up again and carried the younger male bridal-style to his bed, pulling the younger man onto his lap. Rhys smiled lazily at the older man, “You take such good care o' me.” He slurred contently, Rhys looked up at him with trust and drunken adoration, “S'good to me.” he hummed, nuzzling into Jack's neck while he pet and cooed at the younger man.  
**  
Rhys woke up to Jack screaming at some unknown man over the phone. “No! You listen to me you ignorant little shit.” he snapped at the unknown voice over the receiver. “If I find out that this little fuck up is because of you and your GODDAMN ROBOT FETISH I swear to fucking hell I'll turn you into fucking scrap metal, you hear me?”

“What's wrong?” Rhys looked at him in concern, he tightened the hold on the blanket wrapped around his naked form uneasily.

“Don't worry about it, Rhys.” He looked gravely at the younger man, his tone brooking no arguments as Jack paced around the room in aggravation, looking ready to snap at anyone who said the wrong thing and he was holding back every single urge he had so as not to hurt the younger man. “Seriously.”

“Maybe I can help you...” Rhys tried, feeling unsure what he could feasibly do to help the distressed older man.

“ _ **No**_.” Jack growled, “You're not getting mixed up in this Rhys.”

“But-”

“I said no.”

“Please just tell me,” he tried again, softer yet more insistent. “Not knowing what's bothering you has me all neurotic.”

“Cupcake...” Jack warned.

“Please daddy.” Rhys sat up, looking the perfect picture of innocence. Jack stalked towards him with purpose, he looked dangerous and angry but they younger man kept up his resolve. “I just want to help.”

“You wanna know so bad?” Jack questioned, his tone almost livid as he came back into the bed. He flinched unconsciously at the animosity the older man displayed. “Fine. Some idiot infiltrated us and tried to kill my brother because they thought he was me.”

“I'm...so sorry is he okay?” Rhys mumbled as Jack gripped him harshly, cuddling into him with a weird sort of anger.

“He is fine. They won't be, I'm gonna fucking destroy the vault hunters. Every single one of them.”  
He snarled, “What part of truce does Lilith have so much trouble with that not only does she bother you but she goads her bitch ass boyfriend into trying to kill me?” Jack's arms wrapped around his waist got tighter in their grip. “idiot goes and tries to kill Tim.” he murmured as an afterthought.

“Not sure actually,” Rhys had spoken to Lilith and something about her bothered him, he didn't think she was trying to get him to leave Jack so much as taunting him and messing around with his head like a grapefruit salad. “Is that what Lady Hammerlock wanted to talk to you about?” he added, so softly that he was almost sure that Jack didn't hear him.

“No it was…” Jack trailed off, face tensed in anger “I'm gonna kill him. Roland's gonna die, preferably while Lilith watches.” Jack decided, and although Rhys had never met Roland and wasn't sure how bad the man really was he had met Timothy and liked Jack's twin far more than any of the other people he had met associated with his boyfriend.

“Hmm, yeah you could do that.” Rhys propped himself up on his organic limb, “You could also take away the thing he loves most.” he said, feigning innocence, “Like kidnap his mother and sell her to russia,” he grinned deviously, “Or frame him for an egregious crime. Ruin his life, like...” Jack broke out into a grin at Rhys' brainstorming, “Ooh! You could get him put on the sex offender registry. There's no coming back from that. Ever.”

He was good with plans, Rhys honestly believed that even though he couldn't contribute in a fight he could at least help Jack at least intellectually and that made him feel peaceful, all sweet and syrupy on the inside.

“How do you manage to be so cute and so goddamn devious at the same time?” Jack queried, “Makes it _waaaaaay_ too easy to fall for you baby boy.”

“It's a gift.” Rhys stated with an impish smile to which Jack hummed thoughtfully, carding his fingers through the others hair appreciatively. Rhys paused, looking at the others hetero-chromatic eyes, “Wait, fall for me?”

Jack pretended not to hear the strippers soft afterthought, “speaking of gifts,” Jack murmured in Rhys' ear, the older mans voice was still wrecked from their previous activities and it brought Rhys some kind of sick pleasure that he was the cause of it. Jack handed Rhys another small box, “I think you'll like this, babe.”

Rhys looked at him questioningly before opening the present. “A credit card?” Rhys scoffed, “You know you can't just give me gifts whenever you fuck up.”

“You don't want it?” Jack asked, placing his hand over Rhys' in a far too innocent manner for the both of them.

“No it's not-” Rhys stammered nervously, he quickly composed himself and added, “it's just that I don't need you to do things like that. Doesn't have to be so...” he trailed off looking for the correct word, “Grandiose.”

“Then whaddya want babe?”

Rhys looked at him in an odd, sophomoric way. “I'll keep the card, because let's be real here; I need it.” he intertwined his fingers with the older males, “but...maybe just come and spend time with me and my friends. They want to meet you and they're getting annoying about it.”

“Really?” Jack asked incredulously, “That's really all it takes for you to forgive me Rhysie?”

Rhys hummed in reply, “Nothing would make me happier...” he smiled impishly. With a coy nip to his lower lip he added, “Daddy.”

Jack froze in his tracks, “Are you going to do that every time you want something?”

“Dunno.” Rhys admitted, “How well does it work?”

“Disturbingly.” the older man answered before flipping the two of them for round two.

**  
“Hey!” Vaughn exclaimed as Rhys entered the threshold of their apartment. Rhys was looking a disheveled mess, so much that even his compulsively maintained hair was frizzy and curled. Long story short, Vaughn was about to check for body snatchers. “Where were you?”

the auburn haired male practically threw himself on the couch next to Vaughn, he hugged his knees to chest sleepily. “I was in bourgeoisie hell, they have great food by the way, for a while. I had a five thousand dollar dinner and dessert, followed by some of the most earth-shattering, mind-bending-”

“Dude! TMI!”

“I died, went to heaven, high-fived Jesus, watched myself get fucked and then and only then did return to my body, bro.” Rhys walked into the bathroom for a moment, coming back with a Mountain Dew and a bag of chips. “It was some real shit.” Vaughn looked at Rhys in abject terror and he scoffed, “dude, come on. Let me gloat a bit. This hot, smart, funny...” Rhys broke off into a collection of nervous giggles, “Dangerous! Guy with more money than god is interested in me. Me!” he pointed to himself to enunciate. “Like, remember when I had a nervous breakdown in middle school because I got a B- in geometry?”

“That was amazing, in a scary way.” Vaughn admitted, “You threw seven protractors at our teacher. She had to move back in with her mother.”

“Gee, I wonder why I got beat up everyday!” he quipped cheekily, he stuck his tongue out at Vaughn before turning the subject to brighter pastures. “By the way, how was your thing with August?”

“My thing?” Vaughn looked at him oddly, “You mean when you got us both drunk and I made a fool of myself.”

“Yeah! He likes you, right?” Rhys booped Vaughn's shoulder, “Come on tell me!”

“Why are we even friends?” The shorter man griped, fidgeting with his glasses. “You're horrible.”

“Horrible? Moi?” Rhys quipped, “No, we are both awesome and I will tolerate no less than awesome!” He smiled genuinely, “Come on please? Tell me? Please, please, please?” Rhys held his hands together like the Virgin Mary. “Pleeeeaaaaase?”

“Ugh, go home Rhys you're drunk.” Vaughn grumbled, Rhys replied by saying 'Tell me.' in several different impressions. “I- you- alright, fine. There was some definite, no holds barred kissing.” he admitted dryly.

“Oh, you dirty whore.” Rhys made a big show of looking as scandalized as a Victorian housewife. He put his hand over his forehead and pretended to fan himself, “Seriously, man. What ever will the neighbors think?”

“See this is why I don't tell you anything,” Vaughn stood up, about to go into his room and isolate for the rest of the day, “You're infuriating.”

“Oh, come back Vaughn!” Rhys pleaded, holding his arms towards his retreating bro. “There's a Buffy marathon on, I need my best bro for this.”

There was an echoed sigh as Vaughn re-entered the space. “Fine.” he mumbled, “but you,” he pointed at Rhys for emphasis, “You're paying for the snacks.”

Rhys smirked in kind, producing the credit card from his pocket. “Done!” Rhys then pouted, “Oh yeah, Jack's coming to the next movie night. So I thought I'd let you know...”

“What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo yeah, there's a semblance of plot forming.


	6. Chapter Six.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Angel is an angsty teen™, Some good old fashioned smut with aftercare (im a sucker for it) Vasquez is a creep and Jack's stressing out over the vault hunters. You know, the usual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's like....4000 words of smut in here?
> 
> oops lol.
> 
> I really like writing this fic, it's fun.

**

Jack was positively livid with Wilhelm and Tim, “So…Let me get this straight, you,” he slammed his hand down onto the granite counter, “You two idiots decided that you were going to do a few side-jobs and almost got yourself shot by Roland?”

“Well, I almost got shot.” Timothy said, looking nervously at his brother. Jack always scared him like this, “Wil was fine-”

“Wow, great. 'Hey Jack I almost got shot but it's fine because the poster boy of Cybernetic enthusiasts is unscathed.'” he snapped, “Well that doesn't change the fact that you're still a moron.” Jack retorted in a mocking tone, “You know if you weren't the last of my family and I was contractually obligated to love you.” Jack shook his head and sighed in exasperation. “did you at least figure out what they're up to with this whole Project Sanctuary thing?”

Project Sanctuary was something he had heard about in passing, mainly whispers and half-concise rumors but nonetheless it bothered him that he didn't know what it was other than the Vault Hunters were in charge of it.

Something going on in his city, with his people without him knowing about it? Not gonna fly, Cupcake.

Tim visibly lit up, “Well we found out something.” he fished through his pockets, pulling out a memory stick. “I'm not exactly sure what it is...it's uh, kinda cryptic?”

Jack sighed, “Zer0?”

“Zer0.” Wilhelm agreed with his resting apathetic tone.

“Jesus, he's just like sentient Caesar shift.” Jack groaned, “Alrighty kiddos, let's see if good old Handsome Jack can work his magic.” the gangster obnoxiously cracked his knuckles, giving his twin a grin that made the other two uneasy as he stuck the memory drive into his computer.

**  
Rhys was giddy as he waited for Jack, drumming his fingers against his anxiously bouncing knees. “What if he doesn't come?” he whined to Fiona. Rhys ran his hands nervously through his hair, he was so flustered he didn't even care that he was messing it up. He gasped, “What if he got shot?”

Rhys went through an entire list of what-ifs that could happen to hinder his first movie night with Jack. Fiona, who had opted to stay back while Sasha, Yvette and Vaughn went to get snacks at the corner stop began to regret her decisions, “I mean what if he-”

“He'll come!” She snapped in annoyance. “Stop freaking out about it, god, you're so dramatic!” she threw a pillow at him, “I don't get what the big deal is anyways! It's movie night not an engagement!”

“Meh-meh-meh, Look at me, meh-meh-meh I'm Fiona meh-meh-meh. Stop being dramatic Rhys it's just movie night weh!” he mocked, pouting and folding himself into the couch.

“ _Reeeeaaaal_ mature.” She snarked, fixing her hair in an aggravated manner. Suddenly, the tale-tell click of the thirteen locks he and Vaughn had installed so they could feasibly feel safe living in their tiny, barely up to code apartment.

“Rhysie!” Jack called, and Rhys visibly lit up, “I'm hooome!”

“We're back!” Sasha called, her overt confidence was audible in her tenor, “and we ran into Jack at the corner-stop.”

“he paid for all our stuff so he's okay in my book.” Yvette quipped, shrugging emphatically in the doorway. Vaughn, however wasn't too sure. “I'm not sure I can trust someone who carries only hundred dollar bills in cash,” he remarked, looking at Jack with distrust. “That's just weird.”

Jack rolled his eyes at the accountant, “It was a fifty so...”

“That's still pretty shady,” Vaughn snarked back, scowling at Jack's mocking face. Rhys bounded over to the group, mainly to avert disaster as Fiona stood up to help with the foodstuffs and DVD's.

“Hey!” He said, putting his cybernetic hand up in an awkward half-wave. Jack almost immediately pulled him into a possessive kiss, grabbing a handful of the younger man's ass earning a surprised yelp from his counterpart.

“Hey kitten how are-” Jack stopped in his tracks, looking his boyfriend up and down. “Oh my god.” Jack remarked, “that's just...fucking precious Cupcake.” he chuckled, leading the younger man to the beat up old couch. He pulled Rhys into his lap so that he was essentially straddling the older man.

“What?” Rhys snapped with very little malice, he crossed his arms petulantly over his chest. Jack manhandled him more often than not, he was used to that, but the amusement in the gangsters eyes where causing alarm bells to ring in his head.

“You wear seven pairs of socks on top of each other.” the older man grinned, “Fucking adorable.”

“I get cold.” Rhys pouted, “but it's actually more like three!” he held three fingers to his partner for emphasis.

“You hoard socks on your feet and wear those tiny little shorts,” Jack squeezed the younger man's hip, circling his thumb against the outline of Rhys' hipbone. “Because you get _cold..._ ” he cooed patronizingly.

“Wow, okay Jack,” Rhys quipped, playing with the frayed edges of his pullover. “I didn't realize you had such a problem with my tiny little shorts,” he stood up, as if to go to his room, “I'll just go change...” but Jack wrapped his arms around the younger males waist possessively, holding Rhys in place on his lap.

“No, no problem at all” He assured, holding the other tight in his lap. “Your sock to short ratio is perfect, pumpkin.” Jack kissed and nipped at the younger mans neck, “I've been so stressed babe and you,” he hummed, carding his fingers through Rhys' amber hair. “are just what the doctor ordered.”

“Was the doctor Dr. Zed? Because…that guy?” Rhys quipped. He nestled closer into Jack as he leaned in conspiratorially, “Not actually a doctor.”

“Ugh, you guys are so gross!” Fiona interjected, “Jesus. keep it PG.” Rhys was about to answer but Jack interrupted him by licking down the younger man's neck in an obnoxious display of defiance, enjoying how Rhys' neck vibrated from the fits of giggles he let out and the over the top gagging noises Fiona gave at their displays of affection.

“What are we watchin' babe?” He murmured, giving Rhys' shoulder a playful squeeze.

“Well, I'm not sure about everyone else but I got The Heathers.” He quipped, readjusting himself so he was poised on his side. Rhys lay his head against the older man's chest “I've seen it about three thousand times and it never gets old.”

“Yeah didn't you have a crush on Christian Slater when we were in middle school?” Vaughn interjected, with a mouth full of popcorn.

“Pfft, _whaaaat_? No I- yeah.”

 ******  
Jack had expected the 'Don't hurt my friend talk or they'll never find the body I can make it look like an accident.' from Rhys' weirdly buff roommate but instead he got it from the hatted girl that he worked with. She had followed him into the kitchen after Rhys had asked him if he could get a glass of water for him, Jack had made a comment about him being the guest and how rude Rhys was which only got him a playful glare and Rhys adding a “pretty please” at the end.

“Hi.” Fiona said shortly, the first opportunity that she got to be alone with Jack might have been her last so she decided to pounce.

“Hey.”

“I just want you to know that if you ever hurt Rhys, I'm gonna hurt you.” She said as her arms crossed over her chest, closing her off. “He's actually one of the best people I've ever met, I mean he's weird and spastic and with the amount of ice cream he eats he should weigh four hundred pounds,” Jack snorted at that, it was true enough. Rhys had a worrisome sweet tooth that only added to the growing list of things that the gangster found cute about him.

“Well I'm not gonna do that to Rhys, so I think we'll be just fine.” Jack assured, “So are we good? Or are you gonna try and shoot me in the back while I walk away.”

“No, but I still don't trust you.”

 ******  
Jack ran his hands down the younger mans back in a display of almost out of character gentility. Rhys was fast asleep laying in his lap, his usually slicked back hair had reverted to it's natural state of frizzy waves that the gangster found absolutely adorable. “Rhysie baby, you make my goddamn world.” he cooed softly to the sleeping male.

Rhys stirred at his words, “Hey...” he mumbled, looking up at Jack with a half-smile. “You're so touchy-feely.” he hummed, feeling sleepy and happy from how well the night went, “I love it.”

“Yeah...” he murmured thoughtfully, “So, I was thinking while you were passed out on my lap, being all cute” he kissed the top of the younger males head chastely, “about the possibility of you and Angel meeting.”

“Finally!” Rhys blurted out, looking excited and giddy. “Uhm, I mean...that's great.” he added, trying desperately to keep it cool. “I mean,” he blushed, ducking his head, “I just…well I didn't know if you-”

“We've been dating for a while now,” Jack reiterated, “I don't let just anyone meet my Angel but I'm pretty sure I'll be keeping you.”

“Mmm, sounds nice,” he hummed in kind, “Sorry I kinda passed out on you, Vasquez has been running me fucking _ragged_.”

“That's what you get for sleeping with your boss, kitten.” Jack teased back, earning an indignant puff from his counterpart.

“I- you- he wasn't my boss when we started dating and he wasn't a colossal douche-bag back then either!” Mainly about the arm, Rhys thought. Towards the end of their relationship, he had brought it up a lot in a negative way as much as he could manage. Rhys flung a throw pillow at Jack in frustration. “It's almost like he got body snatched or something...”

“Is he really that bad?” he muttered, “you want me to have the shit beat out of him for you? I'd love to get my hands around his smarmy throat, sugar.”

“I'd love that but...” he pouted and let out a little sigh, “it's just that I'm still pretty dysphoric about the arm and he would always talk about it like it was this big fucking burden for him to be seen with me.” he squinted his eyes, trying to hide his own distressed expression. “He treated me like I was a freak.” he whispered the last bit, hoping that the older man didn't hear but he doubted it as he noticed how Jacks eye twitched at that.

Sure, he was an asshole but he wasn't cruel to the people he was close to. He had known that Rhys was uncomfortable about the arm the day he had met him so he usually didn't mention it, other than calling it pretty. Rhys took it the wrong way and he started babbling, “Sorry, I'm being annoying I'll just- I'll shut up. I'm sorry Jack...”

“Hey, don't-” Jack paused, his phone rang obnoxiously. “Sorry, doll I gotta take this.” Rhys nodded, giving the other the green-light to take the call. “Yeah, what do you- you fucking serious? Uh-uh-uh, why don't you fucking fix it?” he mocked his tone becoming steadily more aggressive by the second, it was always a reminder of what Jack was capable of when he had to deal with Hyperion business. Rhys had learned to tune out the noise, just relaxed against his boyfriends chest.

“Did something happen?” he asked, looking at Jack curiously.

“Yeah, fucking hell I gotta...Sorry kitten, you know I wouldn't if-”

“It's fine, you should go. We had a great time and I'm so happy, send Timothy my love.” Jack gave him a look and he amended, “In a platonic way, Jesus!”

******

  
Rhys was up to his neck in the work that Vasquez threw on him, he sighed and ran his organic hand through his hair and gave an alarmed face when a lock came out, “Holy fuck I need to relax.” he mumbled. At least he had lunch pretty soon, that was the saving grace of his day otherwise he would have gone crazy and ended up on an episode of Dateline. He snorted, _Engineer goes crazy and shoots douche-y ex-boyfriend in the dick and cuts off his face._

“Rhys I want to talk to you,” Hugo sneered at Rhys petulant expression. His friends were already on their way there, so he was thankful for that.

“About what?” He snapped, his civil mask crumbling under the weight of his exhaustion. “Do you need me to do more overtime?” you asshole, he thought.

“I want to talk about us.”

“Us? There is no us.”

“But-”

“God can you be more dense? I'm. In. A. Relationship.” Rhys snapped, “It's over between us Hugo. It's been over for a while and it always will be.”

“Rhys, if you would just-”

“No, I'm gonna talk and you're gonna shut up for once.” The thought that this was a terrible idea didn't occur to him in his mental breakdown, “You know what? Jack likes me. He's not embarrassed of me actually, he likes to show me off and he doesn't make me feel bad about myself.” Rhys was almost yelling at Vasquez but he bordered more on crying. “You can't just throw me away and decide that you want me now that I found someone better.”

He stormed off, accidentally bumping into Yvette and Vaughn but not acknowledging the either of them. They looked at each other in concern.

“You should go after him,” Yvette suggest-ordered Vaughn.

“Do I have to?” Vaughn whined, “He had _crazy eyes._ ” He relented almost immediately because knowing Rhys, he was probably in the middle of an emotional breakdown by the time he snapped at someone and was on the rode to **crazy town, population Rhys.**

Vaughn eventually caught up with Rhys, sitting on the steps of Atlas' front entrance with a cigarette curled between his fingers.

“Hey bro, are you...”

“I'm not going to come into work with an AK47.” He clarified, “I'm just...you know I'm tired dude. I'm tired of being nice to him just so I don't have to deal with all the bullshit...And I am _really_ exhausted.”

“You're smoking.” Vaughn pointed out dumbly, “Jeez Rhys, you really are in crisis.” Rhys wasn't a big smoker, he did it on the occasion when he was so stressed that he was on the verge of killing himself. “You need to transfer, there's probably an opening in programming!” he pointed out, “Or at least report him to Tassiter.”

“I tried but he's not actually doing anything he could in trouble for.”

“Did you actually go and report him or did you do that thing where you filled out the report and ran off before he could talk to you?”

“...maybe.” He admitted, not looking Vaughn directly in the eye. “I had an emergency before he came back from lunch.”

Vaughn rolled his eyes at his taller friend, “Dude, he tried to kiss you.” He pointed out, “He hurt you, Rhys! That asshole gave you a bruise on your arm I can't understand why you keep letting him off this easy. And this isn't the first time that he-”

“I just screamed at him,” Rhys answered, then amended, “Well, I didn't scream but I definitely gave him a piece of my mind.”

“Yeah whatever, you give everyone a piece of your mind.” He spat back, “Try to report him, please? If not for you then for the good of the world, he needs to learn that he can't just take whatever he wants.”

“I don't know...”

“I'll go with you and make sure you don't run off this time.”

“Fine.” He pouted at Vaughn, like how fucking _dare_ he show concern for his best bro. “I'll report him.”

******

  
Jack's relationship with his daughter was tenuous at best, he wasn't sure if it had to do with her mother's constant crap talking about him or just the fact that they were so alike that every time they got together they clashed. Still, he couldn't just fight with her right off the bat. Jack was hoping they could at least get home and not cause a scene at the 7-11.

**Again.**

“Anyone givin' you trouble at school, baby-girl?” he tried, drumming his fingers anxiously against his steering wheel.

“I'm fine.” She answered curtly, Jack noticed how she was the spitting image of her mother at that age and he made a conscious effort not to think about that.

“How's your ankle?”

“It's better,” her expression softened a little, “Thanks.”

“Mm, I've got news for ya.”

“Yeah? Are you going to prison or something?” She teased, “Is that why you've been so jumpy?”

“What? Jesus, no! I-I met someone and he really wants to meet you.” Jack asserted, “I want him to meet you.”

“You must really like him then.” She was being sarcastic but there was truth there as Jack was annoyingly overbearing and protective of his daughter.  
Angel remembered getting into a no holds barred screaming match with her father after she had discovered the secret security detail he had hired to watch her at boarding school. She hadn't spoken to him for three months after that.

“I really do.” He agreed, “So we're gonna have a nice fucking lunch and hopefully no ones gonna be an asshole.”

“Can't make any promises pops.” She quipped, “You know I have no social skills.” she parroted what her therapist had told them.

“Then maybe you should work on that, being an asshole can only get you so far when you weigh a hundred pounds.”

“Yeah, but it's totally cool for you to do it.” she snapped, and Jack congratulated himself that he didn't rise to the bait- knowledgeable or not- and remained silent for the rest of the ride with the help of the loudest, most bubblegum sounding pop tracks on the radio accompanying them.

They got to Jack's penthouse, unloading Angels baggage in complete silence that was completely out of character for the both of them.

 

******

  
Jack entered the threshold of his penthouse feeling almost out place, the space felt so...homey. He blamed it on the fact that Rhys always dropped his sweaters on the floor faster than Claptrap could pick them up and every time he was over he took the whole “make yourself at home” saying completely literally.

“Rhysie!” He called, knowing from the music blaring and the warmth of the penthouse that his boyfriend was already cooking their meal. Rhys had ended up surprising him with his cooking skills, but he surprised Jack a lot. “We're here!”

“I'm in the kitchen!” Rhys called, “Hi,” He greeted, keeping his attention on stirring and mixing. “I hope you're not one of those girls that doesn't eat carbs cause that's all I made.”

“You're...peppy.” she muttered, slamming herself down on one of the stools opposing the kitchen island.

“It's one of the best things about you, Rhysie. Other than the obvious,” Jack gave him an exaggerated once over and Rhys pushed him playfully.

“Not appropriate handsome.” he chided, giving the older man a hip-check. “There's a legal child in the room.”

“Ooh, bossy kitten. That's hot.”

“Jack...”

“Alright, alright.” Jack put his hands up in mock surrender, taking a seat himself. “So what's on for dinner, sugar?”

“Nothin' crazy, baked ziti with steamed veggies and garlic bread, fresh by the by I had to strong arm the baker at my deli to bake the bread for us, and ice cream for dessert.” He chirped, obviously pleased with himself,“Because everyone likes ice cream.”

“You can cook?” Angel humphed, “That's a deviation from the norm.”

Rhys decided not to ask what the norm was and focused on a bit of gloating, “I can make pretty much anything deep fried or covered in spaghetti sauce.” he clarified, “I'm also pretty good with baked sweets and custards.” he moved back into the kitchen, “Dinners almost done. It'll be about 5 minutes? I think? So just wait a little.”

******

  
_This is probably the most awkward dinner I've been to since...ever_ , Rhys grimly thought as Jack and Angel glared daggers at each other while eating silently. He couldn't handle the silence, he never could so he was the one to break it. “So! Uhh, Angel what are-- what do you do?”

“School.” Right. Stupid, but Rhys had never been a quitter in his life so he persisted.

“That's informative, but I mean do you- uh do you do anything...extracurricular?”

“Robotics, I had a friend who got me into it before I was shipped off.” She gave a pointed glare to Jack.

“Speaking of robots,” the Hyperion leader interjected, “Did you shave the side of your head?” Rhys chuckled, deciding not to ask what the fuck that had to do with robots.

“Yeah.”

“It looks terrible. Did your mom let you do that?”

“No, she already screamed at me so your off the hook.”

“Really, you think it's bad? I like it.” Rhys hummed, trying his best to mediate.

“You like it?” She looked unconvinced, “Aren't you supposed to just nod and smile to whatever Jack says.”

“No really! I love the...with the hair and-” Rhys babbled before sighing softly, “Sorry this is awkward I don't even know what to say and that's weird for me...” he rolled his eyes at himself, “Most of the time, I can never stop talking so...”

Jack snorted at that, his type-A boyfriend steadily digging his own grave to bury himself in. “Rhys, Sugar...”

“So you can ask me anything.” he gave a curt nod to Angel, trying his best to be amiable no matter how much she intimidated him. “Anything at all.”

“What's up with your arm?” She blurted out, not noticing the way that Rhys flinched at the statement.

“Angel-” Jack was about to chew his daughters head off but Rhys cut him off, “No it's okay,” He assured, putting his organic hand on Jacks' forearm and he frowned at that.  
Rhys was definitely much nicer than him because Jack didn't know how he would be able to handle the constant questions and prodding that Rhys got almost every day of his life since his accident as gracefully as he did. He decided not to mention how uncomfortable Rhys looked for at least a moment and let the younger man elaborate.

“I got into an accident at work, there was a malfunction with a Loader-bot and my arm got crushed. Basically, they had to amputate because all of the nerves in my arm were destroyed as well as the bones and...you get the picture.” he giggled nervously at the end.

“Oh,” she looked vaguely uncomfortable before she recovered, “how old are you?”

“Uh, I'm twenty-eight.” A fair question in her mind, she thought Rhys was around her age, he looked around twenty or twenty-one.

“Hmm, how did you and my dad meet?”

“Uh...well it's kind of a long story but I've been working at The Purple Skag on weekends and nights sometimes because this arm is- was expensive.” it was better than saying, “We had a one night stand and he decided to keep me!”

“The Purple Skag?! That's a strip joint, I thought you were an engineer.” So much for keeping it classy and making a good impression, he thought grimly as he bit down on his cheek to stop himself from making a fool out of himself in front of a seventeen year old girl.

“I am! But-” he looked at Jack for help and Jack pulled her aside with no small amount of steadily controlled rage, “I don't know what the hell you're problem is,” He whisper yelled at his daughter, “but you need to stop being such an asshole to him.”

“I'm not being an asshole!”

“Uh, yeah you kind of are.” Jack retorted, irritation present on his face. “and I don't know what the hell you're thinking but it needs to fucking stop.”

“Wha- you- you didn't even raise me! So how would you even know?”

“Oh fuck off.” He snapped, looking at her in incredulity. “Everything I've done for the past seventeen years has been about you.”

“Like what?!”

“I don't know Angel, like dropping out of college to take care of you and hustling drugs so I could pay for fucking diapers.” he spat venomously, arms crossed over his chest mirroring his daughters own petulant stance.

“And that worked out soooooo terribly for you.” Angel was already on her way out with only her wallet in hand, “Fuck off!”

“Where the hell are you going?!”

“Gaige's!” she called out, before slamming the door so hard that a picture frame snapped off of its place on the wall.

“Fine! Fucking- do whatever the hell you want.”

“Is it over?” Rhys questioned as he came in to where they fought, “Where's Angel?” he queried, “I didn't upset her or anything, right? I tried to be as nice as possible but high school girls are scary.”

“Yeaaaah, it's over because she stormed off, because of me.” Rhys looked at Jack in question, “Because she hates me and has decided to spend the weekend with her girlfriend.”

“Oh...I'm sorry.” Rhys furrowed his brows with a look of sympathy, “Maybe I should have...”

“Look I didn't mean to- Sorry about all the...” Jack gestured vaguely with his hand, “We don't get along, me and Angel. We never get along, Rhys so trust me it's not on you.”

“Whaaaaat?” He hummed facetiously, “I thought throwing plates at each other was just the Lawrence family greeting.” Rhys moved so that he was straddling the other man, “It's fine, really. I get family drama.”

he started mouthing at Jack's neck and Jack let out a gruff chuckle, “Sugar, you're insatiable.” Jack sighed out, with his hands moving to Rhys' hip.

Rhys pulled back, putting on a coy smile for the older man. “I thought it would make you feel better, I hate moping.”

“Hey-I wasn't moping, Rhys.” Jack protested, “I'm a grown ass man. I. Don't. Mope.”

“Uhh, yeah you were.” he quipped back, pressing a succession of kisses against the other males jaw, a coy smile playing at his lips. “but it's okay, I can help you. Apparently I give great blow jobs...it's kind of a cure all for you.”

“You do,” Jack agreed, he placed his hands on Rhys hips and pulled himself up with the younger male and moved to carry him away, “And you're right. So, I'm gonna fuck all of my frustrations out on you, kitten.”

“Oooh! That sounds fun!” Rhys purred back, “Maybe you could rough me up a little. In a hot way, not an...abusive way. You know what I mean, I don't mean-” his ramblings were cut off by Jack roughly slamming his lips against the others.

“I know sugar,” He assured, carrying him into his bedroom and throwing him not-so-gently on the bed. Jack poised himself above Rhys, ready to wreck his kitten all night. “Daddy's gotcha.”

No one decided to mention the fact that they hadn't even touched their dinner before they skipped to dessert.

**  
Rhys had a look of bliss on his face as Jack ripped and tore at his clothes, he was pretty thankful that he hadn't worn anything sentimental tonight. He poised himself forward, putting all of his weight on his elbows, “What's up with your fetish with ripping off all my clothes.”

“You know how I told you I was gonna ruin you for anyone else, babe?” Jack replied, pulling out the pin holding Rhys bangs back so the fell forward on his face, “I wasn't lying.”

He looked at the older man, the positively malicious look that Jack gave him stirred so much arousal within him that he was already getting to the point of giggling and humming at every other word the older man spoke to him. He couldn't help it that Jack's very essence turned him on more than anyone or anything that he had ever come into contact with. “You know the word, right?”

“It's...sanctuary?” Rhys hums back with some waver in his voice, it doesn't exactly sound right so he looks at the older man for confirmation. He had never used safe words before he had started being with Jack on the regular, even though he was no stranger to kinkier sex.  
When he had confided that to Jack, the Hyperion leader had given him the side-eye and asked what kind of assholes he had dated.

“Yeah, puts me right out of the mood. Even with you, babe.” Jack looked at him, “And if you can't talk just shake your head. Got it?”

“Yes, Jack. I understand.” That was all Rhys said before he stripped out of everything that Jack hadn't torn off with fervor, once he was fully naked he knee walked towards Jack, who was leisurely undressing himself because he planned to take all of the time he could with his kitten. “Can I blow you?” Rhys asked in the same tone that he would if he was asking Jack for the time of day, looking at the older man with doe eyes. If it were another time and he was slightly less infuriated with the situation, Jack would have agreed in a heartbeat.

“Sounds fun cupcake,” Jack murmured back, “But I have a better idea.” Rhys isn't sure what the older man means until he's turned and manhandled so that he's laying over the older mans lap.  
Jack smoothed his hand over the smooth skin of Rhys' behind before the contact left only to return with a loud audible smack, “You suggested that I rough you up a little, kitten. so-” Smack. “that,” Smack. “Is just,” Smack. Smack. Smack! “What I'm gonna do to you.”  
Jack took in the sounds Rhys made when his hand came into crushing contact with the others rear, he was making his cute boyfriends ass black and blue and the kid was fucking giggling. If Jack didn't know any better, he'd say that he was in love.

Jack continued with the spanking, developing a nice little rhythm until Rhys' ass was raw and red looking. “Isn't that pretty,” He said, mainly to himself as he soothed his hands over his counterparts burning hot skin. “You mark up real easy, don't you pumpkin.”

“Yeah...” Rhys chirped back as he heard the tell-tale click of a bottle of lube being opened. He likes it much more when Jack opens him up, not just because of the fact that his hands- or to put it better, his fingers were much larger than Rhys' own. It was more along the lines of having Jack open him up slowly and effectively seemed much more intimate than just using a plug or doing it himself.

Jack always obliged when it came to fucking Rhys on his fingers, “Bet I could make you come just like this.” He said with all the glibness and superiority he could muster, “I could have you cumming like a fucking bitch in heat, kitten. Just. Like…” and Jacks fingers brushed over against the others' prostate, reveling in the keening little moans he gave, “This!”

“I want to look at you, kitten.” Was all the warning he got after Jack decided he was loose enough for the other man before he was roughly pulled into the other mans lap. Jack thrust into him brutally hard and fast, holding his legs open and slightly upwards. Rhys knew that he was going to be sore enough that he wouldn't be able to walk for all of the next day, it sounded amazing to be all laid up and useless holed up in Jack's penthouse for an entire day.

“Rhysie, you look so innocent. You know the first thing I thought when I saw you?” Jack asked with all of the sincerity of a crocodile, Rhys didn't say anything intelligible in response. All the amber haired male could do was whine for Jack to continue and Jack being the cruel bastard he was, withheld. “I thought that you looked out of place, that was your appeal baby boy.” he pressed a long succession of butterfly kisses around Rhys' nipples, “I wanted to destroy you.”

“Please? Please, Jack...Please.” Rhys begged with absolute shamelessness, “Wreck me? Please?” but Jack continued on, almost ignoring Rhys just so he could lovingly belittle him.

“Sugar, believe me I'd have you tied up and strapped down on my desk...oh kitten I'd hold your pretty long legs up for everyone to see you all filled up.” Jack promised, “I could do it, Rhysie. I could do that to you and you'd beg me for more.” then there were kisses all over his face, “Wouldn't you?”

“Yeah- mm-hmm, I'd really like that.”

“You'd really like that, what?” Jack goaded and Rhys gave him a pout, knowing exactly what the other male wanted from him. “C'mon pumpkin, you know what I want...”

“I...I'd really like that daddy.” it came out tiny, like he hasn't ever uttered it before. As if Rhys wouldn't be screaming it by the end of the night.

“Theeere we go, that's my pretty obedient boy.” He praised, prodding his fingers at Rhys' mouth. “Open up, cupcake.” Rhys obeyed almost instantaneously, letting the older man coax him into sucking on the digits that had just been inside of him.  
It was a distraction for him, so Jack could lift him up and slam him back down on his cock without any and all hypothetical protests that his counterpart might have but all Rhys can think of is how weird it is that he kind of enjoys the taste of himself.  
It was kind of sweet how Jack was fucking him, even with the dirty talk. He was looking at him, kissing him like he didn't know if they were going to live until the next day and even the verbal humiliation was all complimentary. Rhys wasn't entirely sure how he should react to it, but he wasn't going to complain now or ever.

“Daddy...I'm gonna-” Rhys cuts himself off with a loud wanton moan, “I...please?”

“What was that, Rhysie?” Jack teased, even with his own voice sounding gravelly and dry as a desert he still managed to make Rhys feel small, “You wanna cum, baby?”

“Yes...yesyesyes!” He screamed, bouncing on the other mans cock, rocking in rhythm with him as he could feel himself lose brain cells from all the euphoria he was feeling. “Please daddy, please...lemme cum please?”

“You- ugh, you can come after me alright kitten?” Rhys pouted but nodded, the older mans brutal pace slowed ever so slightly and he was hopeful enough to think it meant that Jack was right on the edge too. It wasn't too long before Jack came with a shout, Rhys following him shortly thereafter and they both collapsed. Jack laid on top of him, kissing and nipping at Rhys' neck before he pulled back with a slightly higher amount of composure.

“Filled you all the way up didn't I Rhysie?” Jack slid two fingers inside of Rhys' hole, chuckling at the little droplets of cum that leaked out of his counterpart, “Fucking hell, sugar.”

“Yeah...not too bad old man.” Rhys quipped back, even though it was slurred and dreamy instead of coming out sharp like he probably wanted. Jack just chuckled and stilled for the other, his weight against Rhys was a nice and relaxing feeling, something he had come to love. After a moment of niceness, Jack stepped off of the bed and away from Rhys and the amber haired male panicked.

“Where are you going?” He whined, either not realizing how needy he sounded or just not caring about it. He made an audible sound of relief when Jack returned with a warm washcloth and coaxed Rhys' legs apart and wiped all of the cum and sweat off of his younger counterparts body.

“Oh...you're not leaving me.” Rhys said and Jack paused at how genuinely happy his counterpart sounded and he cupped Rhys face. “I could never leave you like that, Rhysie.” he assured, looking gravely at the others sleepy expression. He smiled because Jack knew what he needed, he always knew what Rhys needed.

“Good.” Was all he could say, leaning forward and almost falling off the edge of Jacks bed. Thankful that he was pulled into the other mans lap with his face against Jack's chest. “I like you too much for that, I wouldn't know what to do if you got tired of me.” He was too spaced out to notice how Jack stiffened at the unknowingly sweet words.

“You good, sugar?” Jack hummed, even though the look on his counterparts face was filled with pure bliss.

“Mm-hhm, 's good...” He hummed sleepily as he made shapes with his nails on Jacks chest. “I like you, Jack.”

“I know, sweet thing.” Jack hummed, “Actually-I need to tell you something, Rhys.” his tone became more serious now and it alerted the logical and rational part of Rhys, “And considering we're both naked and I've got you in a sleeper hold,” Rhys giggled in response before letting Jack continue, “so I figured this would be the time.”

“You're calling me by my name,” Rhys squinted his features together in confusion and worry, “I don't like it.”

“No?”

“No.” He agreed, “It's so...” Rhys paused, looking for the right word finally settling on, “Serious. Are you breaking up with me?”

“No, I'm not.” Jack was being really serious and Rhys felt the urge to call shenanigans, it just wasn't the done thing for Jack to go a full five minutes without a dick joke. It was alarming, and that was putting it nicely. “It's just...you're here all the time.”

“What?”

“You're here all the time and you leave you're stupid cat lady sweaters everywhere and clean up after me, you're always up early humming like a crazy person. You're always so stupidly supportive...”

“Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realize I was overstepping but in my defense you never told me anything and I can take a step back if that's what you-” His rambling were cut off by Jack flipping them over so he was on top of Rhys again, the older man's hands gripping him almost painfully hard and it was difficult not to let out a whimper with Jack holding him down by the shoulders in his heavy handed way.

“No. Rhysie, sugar just let me finish.” He asserted, “What I was trying to say before you started rambling- which is usually really cute but now I need to have you be quiet and stop talking for one second for me pumpkin. Alright?” he waited for Rhys to vigorously nod before he continued, “Now. What I was trying to say is that it's just so fucking easy with you,”

“Easy?”

“Yeah, easy. It's so easy with you kitten.” he agreed, “What, I'm trying to say here is that I love...having you around.” Rhys cocked his head to the side, “Don't ever change, Rhysie.” Rhys blinked at that in his confusion, a few times in rapid succession.

Was that a love confession? Maybe, in Jack's own emotionally constipated way it was. He honestly wasn't sure and decided not to press the issue because he was okay not having wedding bells and constant parade of ' I love you's' if the older man wasn't quite ready for that.  
Rhys was perfectly content with being spoiled rotten and fucked stupid as long as he wasn't thrown out right after it happened...and maybe cuddled just a little bit.

So he ended the conversation eloquently with a, “I love having you around too.”  
**  
Rhys ended up coaxing and pleading Jack into telling him about what happened with Angel, he had always been a good mediator and figured he could at least patch the rift enough so that Angel didn't feel like an intruder in her own home.

“Hi.” He said, looking evenly at Angel. “I...can I sit here?”

“What are you doing here?” Angel looked at Gaige for answers and her girlfriend came to her own rescue.

“Sorry babe! He muscled his way in here, rambling on and on about you and your dad until I couldn't take it anymore.” she tried, even though the look of death that Rhys shot at her gave her pause.

“Gaige!” Rhys whined, feeling betrayed at her words. “I thought we were friends!”

“It's the truth, Rhys you're pushy AF.” He decided not to mention the fact that Gaige was probably the alpha when it came to pushiness between them and took a calming breath.

“I-you- it- whatever fine. I'm pushy, but my hearts in the right place.” He defended, “Look, I don't know a lot about you, Angel but you seem really cool- and I meant what I said about your hair it's pretty fucking rad- and Jack- I mean, your dad cares about you a lot and now he's all mopey because he thinks that you actually hate him.”

“Maybe I do.”

“Okay- but why?” he wasn't actually sure why Angel had been so hostile towards everyone in that penthouse but he hadn't known Jack forever so it was only fair to hear her out.

“Because he's an asshole.” She said simply, like that ended the entire conversation and Rhys could go home now with his guilt and general meddling sated.

“Yeah, okay I get that but why are you screaming at him right off the bat?”

She didn't speak for a moment and Rhys kept his eyes on her, playing the role of the mature one- something he hadn't done since he was a child. “We have a bad history.” She said, “We just don't get along. We never have.”

“I'm having deja vu...” Rhys said mainly to himself, there was no real answers there and he was getting a little frustrated with the lack of agency he felt.

“I dunno what to tell you Rhys, it's not your problem. I don't get why you're making a thing out of this.”

Rhys shrugged in response, “I dunno, I guess I figured that we would be seeing more of each other and I don't like being on bad terms with anyone.”

“Wait- are you and Jack like a real thing?” She looked a little incredulous at the admission as he nodded, “Wow- he hasn't- wow- I thought – wow.”

“We've been dating for...six months now?” He answered, “Wait...did you not know?”

“Uh, no I had no idea.”

“Mm, okay I get it now...hold on one second I have to make a call.” he said, before stepping out of the room to call Jack and loudly let him know what an _asshole_ he was.

******

Jack was incensed when he found out what Project Sanctuary could be, he wasn't entirely sure if that was the truth or if the binary came out jumbled because it sounded less like a plan of rebellion and more like the insane ramblings of a mentally ill vagrant.

“I'm gonna kill them,” Jack decided swiftly, “This shit has gone on for a little too long and it's getting old.”

“..What?” was all Tim could say, “Jack what...what are you talking about with that?”

“Fucking vault hunters, they have no sense of fucking...do they even understand what the word boundaries even MEANS?” Jack laughed bitterly, “I...a fucking CITY above us?”

“Wait...those crazy assholes are trying to pull some fucking sci-fi les miserable viva la revolution kind of bull shit?!” Nisha looked just about as pissed as he was if a little more, “This isn't gonna work. Pandora's my home and I am not. Letting. Lilith. Take. It. From. Me.”

“How would that even work?” Tim piped up again, trying to wrap his head around the technological details.

“With enough cash you can do whatever you want...” Aurelia piped up, “Whoever their benefactor is they are...”

“Flush.” Wilhelm interjected and the baroness gave him a curt nod in agreement.

“Okay so...rich asshole gives a bunch of moronic bandits enough money to get away with genocide.” Jack elaborated, unease clear on his features. “So. Whose their criminal sugar daddy?”

“Alistair, maybe. He's petty enough.” Aurelia said with no sneer present on her features, that was rare enough in and of itself and just clarified the gravity of the situation.

“Mm, can we kill him?”

“Even if we do, he probably left it all to Lilith and her pet idiots.”

“So...what you're saying is...”

“I'm not saying anything, darling.” Aurelia snapped, “If you're thinking of doing what I think, that's not exactly what we should-”

“I think we should get rid of all of them.” it was surprising that the one actually proposing a war was Tim even though everyone else was thinking of it. “If we don't get rid of the opposition, all of the innocent people on the street are going to suffer.”

Jack agreed but he needed to make preparations before he was going into the Vault Hunters territory guns blazing. If he was going to start a war, he needed to make sure Angel and Rhys were as far away from Pandora as he could get them.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey look! I snuck some plot up in there, yaaaaaaaaay.

**Author's Note:**

> So...this is happening I guess.   
> I'm not entirely sure how i should write Yvette considering she's in ttflb for a total of ten minutes.


End file.
